Ohio State’s Meyer gets three-game suspension

Coach apologizes, says ‘should have done more’

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State on Wednesday night suspended its football coach, Urban Meyer, for three games for his mishandling of domestic violence accusations against one of his assistant coaches. The university also suspended athletic director Gene Smith from Aug. 31 to Sept. 16 for his role in the allegations against Buckeyes assistant Zach Smith.

Both suspensions are without pay, the school said.

The suspensions follow a twoweek investigation into how Meyer reacted to accusations that former assistant Smith abused his ex-wife, Courtney Smith. Zach Smith was fired last month after she asked a judge for a protective order.

“I followed my heart and not my head,” Meyer said, reading a written statement to reporters during a news conference after his punishment was announced. “I should have demanded more from him and recognized red flags.”

Courtney Smith alleged her husband shoved her against a wall and put his hands around her neck in 2015. The university put Meyer on paid leave and began its investigation after Courtney Smith spoke out publicly, sharing text messages and photos she traded in 2015 with Meyer’s wife, Shelley Meyer. Shelley Meyer is a registered nurse and instructor at Ohio State.

Trustees discussed the decision to punish Meyer in a marathon meeting of more than 12 hours Wednesday while Meyer awaited the decision.

Athletic director Gene Smith, who is not related to Zach or Courtney Smith, also apologized, and, like Meyer, said he accepted his penalty.

“Although neither Urban Meyer nor Gene Smith condoned or covered up the alleged domestic abuse by Zach Smith, they failed to take sufficient management action relating to Zach Smith’s misconduct and retained an assistant coach who was not performing as an appropriate role model for OSU student-athletes,” the school said in a statement outlining the investigation’s findings. “Permitting such misconduct to continue is not consistent with the values of the university and reflects poorly on coach Meyer, athletic director Smith, and the university.

“I should have done more and I am sorry for that,” Meyer said.

Meyer will miss Ohio State’s first three games against Oregon State, Rutgers and No. 16 TCU.

The investigation prompted Meyer to insist he followed proper protocols after learning of the 2015 accusations. But he also acknowledged lying to reporters a week earlier when he said he hadn’t heard of the incident until shortly before he fired Zach Smith.