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Ohio State places Urban Meyer on administrative leave Login/Join 
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http://www.espn.com/college-fo...administrative-leave


Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer was placed on paid administrative leave Wednesday as the school announced it is investigating Courtney Smith's claims that several people close to the coach knew of a 2015 allegation of domestic violence against her ex-husband, former Ohio State assistant football coach Zach Smith, who was fired in July.

Offensive coordinator Ryan Day will be the team's acting head coach during the investigation.

"We are focused on supporting our players and on getting to the truth as expeditiously as possible," the school said in a statement.

Courtney Smith told college football reporter Brett McMurphy her allegations in a story posted on his Facebook page earlier Wednesday.

"All the [coaches'] wives knew," Smith told McMurphy. "They all did. Every single one."

Smith told Stadium, a multi-platform sports network, that she believes that Meyer also knew at the time.

"I do believe he knew, and instead he chose to help the abuser and enable the abuser and believe whatever story Zach was telling everybody," Smith said.

Ohio State opens practice Friday.

"[Athletic director] Gene [Smith] and I agree that being on leave during this inquiry will facilitate its completion. This allows the team to conduct training camp with minimal distraction. I eagerly look forward to the resolution of this matter," Meyer said in a statement.

Shelley Meyer, Urban's wife and an instructor in Ohio State's College of Nursing, was among the coaches' wives who knew that Courtney Smith had reported a domestic violence incident in 2015, Courtney Smith said. Smith added that she was never told that Shelley Meyer had told her husband about the allegations at the time.

Smith also said that Hiram DeFries, who is the special assistant to the head coach at Ohio State and has been a confidant of Urban Meyer for years, told her in 2009 not to pursue charges against Zach Smith after an incident in Florida. Meyer was the Gators' head coach at the time; Smith was an intern on his staff.

"[DeFries] said, 'If you don't drop the charges, Zach will never coach again,'" Smith told McMurphy. "'He's never hit you before. He was drinking. He'll probably never do it again. You should think about giving him a second chance.'"

She did not press charges in 2009. Zach Smith was investigated in 2015 for suspicion of felony domestic violence after an incident that resulted in unspecified injuries and showed evidence of sustained abuse. In the Powell, Ohio, police report regarding that incident, Courtney Smith said she had been a victim of habitual domestic abuse. Cleveland.com on Wednesday identified nine reports from Powell police involving domestic disputes between the couple from 2012 to 2018.

Bradley Koffel, an attorney representing Zach Smith, told ESPN: "Zach Smith wants to be as transparent and honest as possible but it is not going to be done today through the media. It will only be after he and his ex-wife are sworn in to testify. Once he gets his chance to tell his side of events, don't be surprised when it is corroborated by every police who ever responded to Ms. Smith's calls."

The 2009 and 2015 accusations came to light last month, when Zach Smith was charged with criminal trespassing after dropping their children off at Courtney Smith's home, which led to his firing as wide receivers coach on July 23.

On July 25, Urban Meyer denied knowing that Zach Smith had been accused of domestic violence in 2015, saying at Big Ten media days that "I was never told about anything." Meyer said the decision to fire Smith was a "very tough call."

Koffel said Wednesday that Smith never informed Meyer about the criminal-trespass charge even after Koffel told Smith to do so.

"I now understand why Zach compartmentalized the info -- to protect Urban," Koffel said. "You cannot impute every family argument involving an employee and his wife to the CEO of a company or the head coach of a large football program."

Courtney Smith told McMurphy that Shelley Meyer knew about the 2009 and 2015 allegations and that they often discussed Zach Smith's abuse of her, including sharing pictures.

"Shelley said she was going to have to tell Urban," Courtney Smith said. "I said: 'That's fine, you should tell Urban.' I know Shelley did everything she could."

But in the Stadium interview, Courtney Smith said that Shelley Meyer never confirmed that she told her husband about the abuse.

"She did not. She did not," Courtney Smith said of Shelley Meyer. "She would reach out to me, ask me how I'm doing, tell me she was worried, if I needed anything, she was there."





When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. Luke 11:21


"Every nation in every region now has a decision to make.
Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." -- George W. Bush

 
Posts: 14826 | Location: Birmingham, Alabama | Registered: February 25, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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In the current climate I don't see how in the world they will be able to keep him. The abuse was egregious, ongoing and Meyer knew about it, covered it up and outright lied about it. Will be interesting to see how it pans out.



“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
- John Adams
 
Posts: 29408 | Location: In the red hinterlands of Deep Blue VA | Registered: June 29, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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No worries - Miami U will grab him !!
 
Posts: 4979 | Registered: April 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I am no fan of Urban Meyer. If he lied about knowledge of the abuse he will be history. So far this story does not have the pattern of continued abuse such as what happened at Penn State. More facts need to surface. You have to feel sorry for the players who committed to Ohio State. The players at Ole Miss sure got a raw deal when the Hugh Freeze scandal broke.
 
Posts: 17616 | Location: Stuck at home | Registered: January 02, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by Graniteguy:
No worries - Miami U will grab him !!


Miami of Ohio, maybe.

The University of Miami has Mark Richt, one of the most respectable coaches in all of college football.
 
Posts: 2354 | Registered: October 26, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
In the current climate I don't see how in the world they will be able to keep him. The abuse was egregious, ongoing and Meyer knew about it, covered it up and outright lied about it. Will be interesting to see how it pans out.


Don't you mean "the claims are..."?

Just consider this, a person from ten years in your life claims to your boss and the press how you knew he/she was being sexually abused. Where will it get you to claim that person is lying, you didn't really know despite the claim, or both?






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Posts: 14194 | Location: It was Lat: 33.xxxx Lon: 44.xxxx now it's CA :( | Registered: March 22, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Apparently there are text messages between the "victim" and Urban Meyer's wife discussing the abuse. Not sure of the time frame.



When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. Luke 11:21


"Every nation in every region now has a decision to make.
Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." -- George W. Bush

 
Posts: 14826 | Location: Birmingham, Alabama | Registered: February 25, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Don't you mean "the claims are..."?

Just consider this, a person from ten years in your life claims to your boss and the press how you knew he/she was being sexually abused. Where will it get you to claim that person is lying, you didn't really know despite the claim, or both?


I'm not sure what you are saying. Have you read the story with the documentation, pictures and police reports? His wife and all the coaches wives knew for sure and Urban's wife told the victim that she was telling Urban. All the wives knew, there is no way Urban didn't know. It's not even plausible. Urban knew about the incident in Florida and hired him at OSU anyway. It was a gamble with no margin for error.



“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
- John Adams
 
Posts: 29408 | Location: In the red hinterlands of Deep Blue VA | Registered: June 29, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Everyone knew including the police but Meyer has to take the hit? Hope he gets all the money in his contract...and I don’t even like the guy.
 
Posts: 6634 | Location: New England | Registered: January 06, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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They canned Tressel for a whole lot less than this. I didn't like Ohio State, but had no reason to hate Tressel.
 
Posts: 3679 | Location: Texas Hill Country | Registered: July 24, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
quote:
Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Don't you mean "the claims are..."?

Just consider this, a person from ten years in your life claims to your boss and the press how you knew he/she was being sexually abused. Where will it get you to claim that person is lying, you didn't really know despite the claim, or both?


I'm not sure what you are saying. Have you read the story with the documentation, pictures and police reports? His wife and all the coaches wives knew for sure and Urban's wife told the victim that she was telling Urban. All the wives knew, there is no way Urban didn't know. It's not even plausible. Urban knew about the incident in Florida and hired him at OSU anyway. It was a gamble with no margin for error.


Is there evidence that Urban’s wife told him? Or is it just “all the wives knew,” so he had to know.

It’s easy to believe that all the wives knew, but not impossible that wife didn’t ever tell hubby, certainly not something that ought to be assumed.




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Posts: 48369 | Location: Texas hill country | Registered: July 04, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Its sure less than rock solid proof. Some one says he knew. Nothing even close to proof or admissible evidence in court. But with the over hyped media, anything they hear and repeat is just assumed to be the end. The best part is the drop in living standard the wives will take as they all gather around and #metoo. But then the paid administrative leave is also known as paid vacation. Except that when you've achieved the level of success of Urban Meyer, its real punishment. He'd rather be working, I'm sure.


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Posts: 18394 | Location: Kentucky, USA | Registered: February 25, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I hope he survives this but I'm not confident. I am kinda pissed watching the victim though placing the responsibility on the other coaches' wives and the head coach. Do other women go to their husbands boss's to confront this problem? Apparently she didn't have the phone number for her parents, the police and an attorney. If Urban knew he should have addressed it. But it sucks that it falls at his feet.


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Posts: 5742 | Location: Ohio | Registered: December 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Had smith abused a player or student, I could see him being fired. But gee he kinds gets punished twice if the law gets him and then he loses his job.

I knew guys who got arrested for abusing their wife where I worked. I do know none of them lost their job unless they did extended jail time.

Heck, I never knew who Zack Smith was until this whole thing blew up. So, he really isn't in the public eye.

So, are we gonna go through the whole Penn state thing again??
Never cared for Joe Pa as a Big ten coach, but what i knew of him as a man, I think he was a good man and did not know what was going on with the abuse of those kids at the camps.
I think that firing him and ruining his reputation was a which hunt.


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Posts: 2794 | Location: Ohio | Registered: December 18, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by rburg:
Its sure less than rock solid proof. Some one says he knew. Nothing even close to proof or admissible evidence in court. But with the over hyped media, anything they hear and repeat is just assumed to be the end. The best part is the drop in living standard the wives will take as they all gather around and #metoo. But then the paid administrative leave is also known as paid vacation. Except that when you've achieved the level of success of Urban Meyer, its real punishment. He'd rather be working, I'm sure.
Well said
quote:
Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
I hope he survives this but I'm not confident. I am kinda pissed watching the victim though placing the responsibility on the other coaches' wives and the head coach. Do other women go to their husbands boss's to confront this problem? Apparently she didn't have the phone number for her parents, the police and an attorney. If Urban knew he should have addressed it. But it sucks that it falls at his feet.
Agreed. This mass hysteria, guilty until proven innocent non-sense needs to stop.
quote:
Originally posted by Aquabird:
So, are we gonna go through the whole Penn state thing again??
Never cared for Joe Pa as a Big ten coach, but what i knew of him as a man, I think he was a good man and did not know what was going on with the abuse of those kids at the camps.
I think that firing him and ruining his reputation was a which hunt.
A husband abusing his wife off campus is a totally different situation than Penn State where a coach was molesting boys in the locker room shower, molesting boys on road games (i.e. the hotel paid for by PSU), using the PSU brand to lure boys from parents, and covered up by the Paterno as well as the highest levels of the PSU administration.



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DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23807 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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So Urbs will be coaching Baylor next year.
 
Posts: 946 | Location: Oklahoma | Registered: November 23, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Shocked! Not.....look at the train wreck he left at Florida.

At least OS didn't find him passed out on an Ambien OD!


 
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They probably shouldn't be selling these now

 
Posts: 24490 | Location: Gunshine State | Registered: November 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I listened to an interview with ex-wife, Courtney Smith, and she comes off as absolutely credible. There is evidence that she confided with Shelly Meyer and the two of them talked about it several times. Smith says Shelly Meyer stated that she “needed to tell Urban.” Later, the interviewer asks if Shelly ever revealed whether or not Urban Meyer was told, and she admitted that Shelly had not said—so she’s not embellishing the story.

Meyer’s “heart issues” appears to have been a complete fabrication. He did not go home and “rest,” he travelled the country with Ohio State football—low stress recuperation? Nah. They needed to get rid of him in Gainesville and allowed him to gracefully exit.

I think he’s gone.


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Posts: 13675 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: January 10, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I think he’s gone.

By the weekend.



When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. Luke 11:21


"Every nation in every region now has a decision to make.
Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." -- George W. Bush

 
Posts: 14826 | Location: Birmingham, Alabama | Registered: February 25, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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