More than eight hours into a day-long meeting of the Ohio State Board of Trustees, there are signs that the Board could be inching toward a decision.
OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith was spotted walking into the Longaberger Alumni House shortly after 5:00 pm, the first time Smith has been seen all day.
Smith will not have any official input into Urban Meyer’s future as the Buckeyes’ coach. That decision will come down to the Board of Trustees and University President Michael Drake.
However, it’s reasonable to think that Smith may have arrived to either get an update on the status of the discussions or negotiate an impasse.
The Board of Trustees started their meeting at 9 in the morning. They held a very brief public session as required by law. It lasted approximately two minutes before they went into Executive Session.
At that point, the media and members of the public left the room, and the Board went to a separate location to begin reviewing the result of the investigation and deliberating Meyer’s fate.
Meyer himself arrived at the Longaberger Alumni House just before 10 am.
Around 2 pm, Trustee Clark Kellogg walked back into the building and told a reporter that progress was being made.
Clark Kellogg says progress is being made… pic.twitter.com/01bGof0iOz
— 105.7 The Zone (@1057TheZone) August 22, 2018
Meyer’s wife Shelley was spotted entering the building around 2:30 pm.
Meanwhile, as the Board of Trustees deliberated the fate of OSU’s head football coach on the east side of Olentangy River Road, the Buckeyes held a football practice just across the street.
Meanwhile, you can hear the sounds of OSU football practice across the street. pic.twitter.com/8N36WnuoUM
— Ozone Communications (@theOzonedotnet) August 22, 2018
Likely the next sign of progress for the negotiations will come when the Board returns and holds a public session to close its meeting, as required by law.
It’s possible that the school will hold a press conference once a decision is reached. Reporters have seen a backdrop set up in the room where the Board met this morning, a possible sign that a press conference is planned for that location.
The Ozone will continue to monitor the situation from the Longaberger Alumni House and update this story as events warrant.