Ohio State has placed head football coach Urban Meyer on paid administrative leave while they conduct a further investigation into today’s allegations from Courtney Smith about what the OSU head coach knew and didn’t know about the abuse that Smith endured at the hand’s of former wide receiver’s coach Zach Smith.
In Meyer’s absence, offensive coordinator Ryan Day will serve as the acting head coach.
Ohio State University’s statement reads as such: “The university is conducting an investigation into these allegations. During the inquiry, Urban Meyer will be on paid administrative leave. Ryan Day will serve as acting head football coach during the investigation. We are focused on supporting our players and on getting to the truth as expeditiously as possible.”
Meyer also released a statement in which he agreed with athletic director Gene Smith that an administrative leave would facilitate the investigation’s completion.
“Gene and I agree that being on leave during this inquiry will facilitate its completion,” Meyer’s statement read. “This allows the team to conduct training camp with minimal distraction. I eagerly look forward to the resolution of this matter.”
The Ohio State football team opens up fall camp this Friday afternoon.
Bad parenting is the cause of many problems. Will Zacks mother admit she is part of the blame?
SOUNDS LIKE A WITCH HUNT TO ME. a MARRIED COUPLE HAS A SPAT AND EVERY BODY IS AT FAULT. SOUNDS LIKE A BUNCH TUN FANS ADDING WOOD TO THE FIRE. WHAT GOES ON BETWEEN A MARRIED COUPLE IS THERE BUSINESS. i DON’T WANT PEOPLE INTERFERING IN MY PERSONAL LIKE, DO YOU IDIOTS WANT IT. THIS WHOLE INCIDENT IS A BUNCH OF BS. sHOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE UNIVERSITY UNLESS THE POLICE FINDS OUT THE UNIVERSITY ABUSED HER.. THEN I GUESS WE WILL HAVE TO CLOSE DOWN OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOR ABUSE OF SOME UPSET VINDICTIVE WOMEN MADE AT HER HUSBAND. BULLSHIT, STUPIDITY. NOT WORTHY OF THE NEWS OR EVEN TALKING ABOUT.
I guess football coaches are now supposed to be police officers, detectives, judges, juries, prosecutors, etc. I guess we live in an age where hearsay and innuendo can get someone fairly removed from a situation fired from a job. Seems legit.
It’s amazing to me that all of you people commenting that Urban should be fired for covering up domestic abuse seem to ignore the point that Zach Smith was never convicted of anything. Not saying he is innocent, but convicted? Never convicted.
The more this soaks in, the more apparent it becomes that Urban Meyer has coached his last game for Ohio St. and will probably never coach again. If Text messages show that Shelley Meyer knew of the 2015 incident which showed a battered and bruised Mrs. Smith, there is no way she did not tell Urban about it. This is a sad way for one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history to go out. In this day of political correctness and hyper-sensitivity, Ohio State will have to fire Urban Meyer. What I can’t seem to understand is why Meyer would have allowed this man to stay on at Florida after what happened in 2009? I am sorry, but wife beaters would never be on any program I coached, they would be GONE, I don’t care how young the couple were, wife batterers hold no place in my heart. And to think a man who is the father of two daughters would put up with this is unforgivable in my opinion. Nice knowing you Urban…
The flaw in your logic is the assumption Shelly told Meyer. What if she held it in confidence because she was trying to be supportive? What if Shelly is an independent woman that doesn’t feel a need to tell her husband everything? Or are you saying a married woman is beholden to her husband and must report to him? That would be a bit archaic.
Come on Christopher…..She told him. And if other coaches wives knew, they told their husbands. Again, this will be the third Ohio State coach out of the last 4 that will go out in humiliation….Hayes, Tressel, Meyer. Another sad day for us Ohio St fans…Time to look to the future. I hope you are right, but again, in the day of age we live in today, Ohio State will make the unfortunate decision to fire coach Meyer…..Again, I hope you are right…But in this instance assumptions seem to me to outweigh logic, which is a rare instance indeed.
As a Christian man, i must correct my last post, I do forgive you Urban, and the Lord Jesus Christ forgives you too….God Bless you Urban, I will pray you find peace throughout this process….
So, a wife, without any proof other than a third party claiming one side of the story, sends a text message to another third party, and then that third party is supposed to act on it as if he’s the police? Seems legit.
If this story didn’t have any legs at all…no evidence…it wouldn’t be walking. The University absolutely acted appropriately by putting Urban of paid leave until it gets sorted out legally.
A coach, isn’t above the standards of the Institution he’s been hired by. Urban IS accountable for the actions of those in his employ. Had this been a first time episode it would have been foolish to put him on leave. What little evidence there is available shows that AT least back to 2014 it had been reported to Urbans wife. I just don’t think Shelley would have concealed something like this from him. But that’s just an opinion, not a fact. IF that opinion proves to be a fact that calls into question whether or not Urban lied about Smith’s actions against Courtney back in 2009 at Florida. A pattern starts to emerge and it’s one that may prove to be nothing, or it could prove to be true. Ohio State has done the right thing whether or not the public is aware of what knowledge THEY might have. In any case, he can’t be on the field for Ohio State until it’s settled. Hats off to the Board and to Drake, and even to Gene Smith.
Can’t believe you and I are on the same page on this. Yes, there is a scenario in which Meyer didn’t know about 2015 and remains as coach. But if he did, he should be terminated immediately. Gene Smith should bring him in and ask him point blank.
Hard to believe the university wouldnt just fire urban if this was their true intent. Paid leave buys time and allows the university to manage the optics of this situation especially given all of the negative publicity going on right now with the allegations surrounding the wrestling team. Zach Smith obviously a major POS and you have to wonder why urb allowed him to hang around this long. Paying back earle bruce? Hopefully this doesnt cost urban and the entire program. 2011 is still very fresh in my mind and we were damn lucky urban was available or we’re easily looking at the same tailspin TTUN has been in since 2007 caused by two really bad coaching hires. Praying this blows over quickly.
Perhaps it will, and perhaps it should blow over, but with the comments from Courtney about her conversations with Shelley back in 2015 the door is open as to why NOTHING was done right then and there. If Shelley didn’t bring it to the CEO aka her husbands attention, that’s a problem. If she did and obviously no action was taken, that’s a problem. Is Courtney lying? Maybe. If she’s not and if Shelley DID in fact inform Urban, Urban is finished as a College Football Coach. Unlike what goes on in Tallahassee, Florida, the Columbus PD won’t cover up crimes, and spousal abuse is a crime. To know and not act can open the door to a whole bunch of legal arguments from aggressive prosecutors.
Who knows how deep the rabbit hole goes? If you’re a Buckeye fan you may want to watch the news. Be a real shame if Urban lost his job because of his devout allegiance to Coach Bruce, because that’s all Zach Smith’s original job at Florida was, Urbans loyalty to Earle. I have a feeling we haven’t heard the last about Smith’s actions while at Florida in 2009.
In the state of Ohio even the threat of bodily harm can result in a charge of Felony Menacing. If Courtney is found to be telling the truth this story isn’t blowing away any time soon.
Why should Meyer have to report this at home problem? Why didn’t he’s wife report it. If I had problems at home I don’t expect my supervisor at work to handle it for me. These are grown ass married ppl. Not players
Because it is a crime by one of HIS employee’s. He’s not a disassociated interest party.
Some people believe in staying out of the affairs of other married couples.
Until we know if Shelly told Urban there is no reason to speculate that she did. Women are not bound to report to their husbands in 2018.
It’s not about reporting to her husband Chris. It’s about PROTECTING her husband. Concealing a crime is generally frowned on in the Court of Law. As a wife she is certainly obligated to protect her family against a threat that could endanger their livelihood. The only argument that could be fairly offered probably isn’t one Urban or their kids would want to hear. That being that she’s protecting that moron Zach Smith.
Not telling your husband about a girlfriend confiding in you about her marital problems would hardly constitute concealing a crime. Moreover, not telling Urban makes plenty of sense for a wife looking to protect that family’s livelihood…if she doesn’t tell urban then he has no obligation whatsoever. And the judgment of folks like yourself who believe she must tell her husband is inconsequential.
Nobody said that she MUST tell Urban anything at all. But the found text messages makes Courtney’s telling of the truth stand on pretty firm ground. But if a woman who claims to be a wife doesn’t deserve to be a wife. I just don’t believe Shelley is a lowlife. She’s always been a strong spiritual person. Not this new age religiosity masquerading as spirituality, but a woman of convictions. She would have to deny her innate character to potentially harm her family. People today don’t believe in duty or honor. Shelley is old school and does.
Doesn’t deserve to be a wife if she doesn’t act to protect her family. Keeping quiet to her husband who has an employee committing a crime is not just folly, it’s stupidity.
Despite all the rampant speculation by the media that Urban is gone, there does not appear to be any clear evidence that Urban lied or handled the situation improperly, to wit:
1. To my knowledge based on the Courtney Smith interview, she never told Shelley Meyer that there was an incident in 2015 where the police was called; nor was there any incident in 2015 where the police filed any charges or made any arrest of Zach Smith. So when Urban was asked whether he knew of any incident where police were called or charges were made in 2015, he accurately replied that did not know of any such police incident.
2. Courtney Smith may have texted Shelley Smith about an alteration in or about 2015/2016 and showed her pictures of red marks on her arm. It appears that Urban and/or Shelley Meyer did, in fact report this allegation to someone at the University because an attorney employed by the University allegedly called Courtney Smith’s attorney to ask about the situation. Even though Courtney Smith’s attorney reported told the University Attorney that the situation was “bad”, Courtney Smith and her attorney never pressed charges, never sought a restraining order or anything else. For that matter, Courtney Smith’s own family apparently did nothing either. I fully expect Zach Smith to testify that he and his the-wife may have gotten in an argument and that they gabbed each other’s arms (which left red marks on both of them). But nothing more than that ever happened — as evidenced by Courtney Smith and her attorney doing nothing further.
Based on these allegations, Urban and Shelley handled this situation appropriately and reported it to the University. Further, Urban did not lie or cover up anything. This scenario is just as probable as the rampant speculation by media heads who really don’t know anything, and further, don’t take the time to think things through objectively.
I have hope.
The argument about this person or that person didn’t report it either would be laughed at by a Judge. Urban Meyer was Zach Smith’s boss. Drake and the BOD’s will act to protect the University’s name first and last.
Multiple people with reason to report (like her parents) that chose not to report would speak to the credibility of the claim and her believability. What father w ouldnt report his daughter’s abuse. So no, a judge would not laugh that off as it could be probative as to veracity.
Yes, any judge would laugh that argument out of his Courtroom. ANY prosecutor will have already lined up his fact base in a case like this to mangle that exculpatory argument you put forward. Simply call her and Zach’s parents as witnesses. A Judge CAN, but doesn’t have to weigh the animas of those the prosecutor has called to ascertain the voracity of her allegations. Instead he would likely laugh at it and tell the Court to get on with the case with evidence of fact. Unless of course he’s bored and wants to hear the family secrets, which isn’t likely.
this is pretty insane..Meyer isn’t the police, he fired the dude and it’s very odd this person didn’t call the police and press charges….the dude–Zach.. himself sounds like an idiot to say the least and if he did those things should be serving time ..PERIOD..but this seems like a possible vendetta but it’s not politically correct to get all the facts these days and rash decisions are made…anyone can say anything these days without proof and a name is tarnished or job lost…wait until ALL the facts come out and if it warrants more then do something–not just on he said-she said heresay
In a sane world, I would agree, but …
The woman got what she wanted. But now she wants more. Could be a pattern of hers. We’ll see.
Are you saying she wanted to be abused? Lot of closet incels in this thread.
No. She got revenge on her husband and got him fired, and probably got leverage on child custody. Now she wants revenge on his mentor and employer. Surely she knew what she was doing when doing this interview.
Where’s his “long-windedness,” Mr. Mills, when we really need him ? Must be having a conversation with the Pope ….. in his own mind.
Right here buttercup. Sorry but I don’t swing your way, so you’ll have to find a new infatuation.
What happened, did your GOD get sent out to pasture for sweeping for a POS like Zach Smith’s dirt under the carpet? Sucks to be him AND you today.
Sounds like Urban is confident this will blow over. I believe him.
sincerely hope so-really sincerely hope so- but in this emotionally-charged #-world, i wouldn’t bet it. if true re some fudging of when and what was known, has eerie similarities to the Tressel downfall, where he personally didn’t do anything except not rat-out his players; here, maybe sin was in protecting (too long) numbskull grandson of his mentor. one thing that probably occurred, and not that it had any lasting effect, obviously, is that ‘ole Earle probably kicked the hell out of this idiot on more than a couple of occasions. that, i’d bet.
crap
Perhaps it will, and perhaps it should blow over, but with the comments from Courtney about her conversations with Shelley back in 2015 the door is open as to why NOTHING was done right then and there. If Shelly didn’t bring it to the CEO aka her husbands attention, that’s a problem. If she did and obviously no action was taken, that’s a problem. Is Courtney lying? Maybe. If she’s not and if Shelley DID in fact inform Urban, Urban is finished as a College Football Coach. Unlike what goes on in Tallahassee, Florida, the Columbus PD won’t cover up crimes, and spousal abuse is a crime. To know and not act can open the door to a whole bunch of legal arguments from aggressive prosecutors.
Who knows how deep the rabbit hole goes? If you’re a Buckeye fan you may want to watch the news. Be a real shame if Urban lost his job because of his devout allegiance to Coach Bruce, because that’s all Zach Smith’s original job at Florida was, Urbans loyalty to Earle. I have a feeling we haven’t heard the last about Smith’s actions while at Florida in 2009.
Perhaps it will, and perhaps it should blow over, but with the comments from Courtney about her conversations with Shelley back in 2015 the door is open as to why NOTHING was done right then and there. If Shelly didn’t bring it to the CEO aka her husbands attention, that’s a problem. If she did and obviously no action was taken, that’s a problem. Is Courtney lying? Maybe. If she’s not and if Shelley DID in fact inform Urban, Urban is finished as a College Football Coach. Unlike what goes on in Tallahassee, Florida, the Columbus PD won’t cover up crimes, and spousal abuse is a crime. To know and not act can open the door to a whole bunch of legal arguments from aggressive prosecutors.
Who knows how deep the rabbit hole goes? If you’re a Buckeye fan you may want to watch the news. Be a real shame if Urban lost his job because of his devout allegiance to Coach Bruce, because that’s all Zach Smith’s original job at Florida was, Urbans loyalty to Earle. I have a feeling we haven’t heard the last about Smith’s actions while at Florida in 2009.
In the state of Ohio even the threat of bodily harm can result in a charge of Felony Menacing. If Courtney is found to be telling the truth this story isn’t blowing away any time soon.