URBAN MEYER PLACED ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE
School investigating claims his wife knew about alleged abuse.
Ohio State placed coach Urban Meyer on paid administrative leave while it investigates claims his wife knew about allegations of domestic violence against an assistant coach years before he was fired last week.
Courtney Smith gave an interview to the Stadium sports network and provided text messages to college football reporter Brett McMurphy between her and Shelley Meyer in 2015 and with the wives of other Buckeyes coaches. Courtney Smith also provided threatening texts she said came from her ex-husband, former assistant Zach Smith.
“Shelley said she was going to have to tell Urban,” Courtney Smith told Stadium. “I said: ‘That’s fine, you should tell Urban.’”
Zach Smith was fired last week after an Ohio court granted a domestic violence protective order to Courtney Smith.
Hours after Courtney Smith’s interview was posted online Wednesday, Ohio State said it was conducting an investigation into the allegations and Meyer was being placed on leave. Offensive coordinator Ryan Day will serve
continued from C1 as acting head coach for the Buckeyes. Meyer said he and Athletic Director Gene Smith agree that being on leave during the inquiry was best for the investigation.
“This allows the team to conduct training camp with minimal distraction. I eagerly look forward to the resolution of this matter,” Meyer said.
Meyer is heading into his seventh season at Ohio State. Shelley Meyer is a registered nurse and is employed as an instructor at Ohio State. Both Meyer and his wife could be in violation of Title IX policy on reporting allegations of domestic violence against university employees.
Zach Smith was charged in May with misdemeanor criminal trespass. At the time, Zach Smith’s attorney said Courtney Smith had accused him of driving to her apartment after she told him they would meet elsewhere so he could drop off their son. Zach Smith pleaded not guilty last month. Zach Smith was also accused of aggravated battery on his then-pregnant wife in 2009 while he was a graduate assistant on Meyer’s staff at Florida. The charge was dropped because of insufficient evidence. Urban Meyer brought Smith, the grandson of late Buckeyes coach Earle Bruce, to Ohio State in 2012.
Two police reports filed in 2015 in Powell County, Ohio, after the Smiths separated in June of that year, accused Zach Smith of abuse. Charges were never filed.
At Big Ten media days, Meyer said he knew of the incident in 2009 and that he and Shelley Meyer addressed it with the Smiths. He was also asked about the 2015 incident alleged by Courtney Smith. “I can’t say it didn’t happen because I wasn’t there,” he replied. “I was never told about anything and nothing ever came to light. I’ve never had a conversation about it. I know nothing about it. First I heard about that was last night.” The Smiths divorced in 2016.
In the interview with McMurphy, Courtney Smith shared text messages between her and Shelley Meyer detailing Meyer’s knowledge of Zach Smith’s alleged abusive history. Smith also said she shared photos of bruises from her ex-husband’s alleged abuse with Shelley. Courtney Smith also claimed “all of (the coaches’) wives knew. They all did. Every single one.”
McMurphy’s report also includes details of a Nov. 5, 2015, text exchange between Courtney Smith and Lindsey Voltolini, the wife of Ohio State director of football operations Brian Voltolini. In that exchange, Lindsey said Meyer and Zach Smith discussed the alleged incident and Smith “denied everything.” Courtney Smith said Shelley Meyer never told her whether or not she shared details or photos with Urban Meyer.