Ohio State has placed football head coach Urban Meyer on paid administrative leave as the school investigates what the coach knew about the domestic violence incidents involving former wide receivers coach Zach Smith.
Smith was fired on July 23 in the wake of allegations that he physically abused his former wife Courtney, who was granted a domestic violence protective order.
This was not the first incident involving the Smiths. On July 24 Meyer said he was aware of an aggravated battery accusation against Smith when he was on Meyer’s staff at Florida in 2009, though charges were never filed in that case.
When the story came out last week Meyer was also asked about two alleged domestic violence incidents in 2015, incidents in which Meyer said he was not aware of the veracity of those statements, which were called into question today by Smith’s former wife.
Courtney showed college football reporter Brett McMurphy a series of text messages between her and the wives of Ohio State coaches, including Meyer’s wife Shelly, clearly describing the alleged abuse.
Ohio State decided to place Mayer on leave while it tries to determine what Meyer knew and when he knew it. The school issued a statement announcing that while the investigation takes place quarterbacks coach Ryan Day will serve as the acting football head coach.
“We are focused on supporting our players and on getting to the truth as expeditiously as possible,” the university said.
Meyer also issued a statement where he announced that he and athletic director Gene Smith agreed that Meyer being on leave during the investigation would facilitate its completion and allow the team to conduct training camp with minimal distraction.
