Ohio State’s Meyer handed three-game suspension
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Urban Meyer will remain as football coach of Ohio State but will be suspended for three games after the school investigated his handling of allegations of domestic abuse involving one of his former assistant coaches.
The announcement comes after the school’s Board of Trustees appointed an independent panel to oversee a two-week investigation of Meyer and reviewed its report.
Athletic director Gene Smith also was suspended from Aug. 31 to Sept. 16.
According to the report: “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. 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. Their handling of this matter did not exhibit the kind of lead-
ership and high standards that we expect of our athletic director, head coach, assistant coaches and all on the football staff.”
The board met for around 11 hours while around 70 media members waited outside the meeting room in Longaberger Alumni House. Ohio State students stopped by to see if any decision has been reached.
During his administrative leave, Meyer was barred from coming on campus. But he was seen entering the building early in the trustees’ session. His wife, Shelley, arrived around 2:30.
Former wide receivers coach Zach Smith was accused of abuse by his exwife on several occasions, most recently in 2015. Meyer initially denied knowledge of the alleged 2015 incident during an appearance at Big Ten Conference media days in July. He later he admitted to previously knowing about the matter and said he followed proper reporting protocols and procedures.
In an interview for the website Stadium, Smith’s ex-wife, Courtney Smith, said she had told Meyer’s wife, Shelley, and Lindsey Voltolini, the wife of Ohio State’s director of football operations, about her ex-husband’s abusive behavior.
Among the correspondences between Smith and Shelley Meyer were photos showing bruises stemming from the 2015 incident.
Following the interview of Smith, the school’s Board of Trustees appointed an independent panel to oversee the investigation of Meyer.
Ryan Day, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, served as interim head coach during the investigation. Ohio State plays Oregon State in its season opener on Sept. 1.
Across multiple stops, each more successful than the last, Meyer’s coaching career has been a contradiction of near-unparalleled success marred by bouts of controversy.
At Florida, where Meyer led the Gators to national championships in 2006 and 2008, his program dominated the Southeastern Conference yet too often found itself in the headlines for player misconduct