Urban Meyer, Who Came to San Angelo to Recruit, Placed on Administrative Leave Amid Domestic Violence Scandal

COLUMBUS, OH-- Ohio State University head football coach Urban Meyer was placed on paid administrative leave yesterday after veteran sportswriter Brett McMurphy published a report alleging Meyer may have known about domestic violence by one of his former coaches.

The move by Ohio State came as they opened an investigation into Meyer and the longtime coach could be fired pending the results of the investigation.

"During the inquiry, Urban Meyer will be on paid administrative leave," Ohio State said in a statement. "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 said in a statement, "(Ohio State 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."

Zach Smith was a receivers coach under Meyer at the University of Florida and Ohio State. McMurphy's report said Smith had a history of domestic violence which dates back as early as 2009 while at Florida. It was there that Smith was investigated for domestic violence against his now-ex-wife Courtney Smith. It was the first reported allegation against Smith.

On Oct. 25, 2015, Smith was once again accused of domestic violence against his wife. The pair was separated at the time when Smith went to his wife's house where an argument ensued and Courtney said he assaulted her.

“He took me and shoved me up against the wall, with his hands around my neck,” Courtney said to McMurphy. “Something he did very often. My (then 3-year old) daughter was clinging to my leg. It obviously registered with him what he was doing, so he took my (then 5-year old) son and left. So I called the police.”

Courtney told police not to come to her house since she had to calm her daughter down, per McMurphy's report. So, she went to the police station the next day to file a report.

Smith was then served a domestic violence protection order last week and was recently fired from Ohio State. McMurphy says Smith has not been convicted of domestic violence.

At the Big Ten media days, McMurphy asked Meyer about the allegations. Meyer said if he had known in 2015 of the allegations, Smith would have been fired then.

McMurphy obtained texts from Courtney to Meyer's wife, Shelley, also an Ohio State University employee as a registered nurse and instructor of Clinical Practice at the Ohio State College of Nursing. The texts prove at least Shelley Meyer knew about the alleged domestic violence and, knowing the relationship the Meyers have, McMurphy suspects Urban Meyer knew as well. Shelley said in one of those texts that she would have to tell Urban about the incidents. Urban Meyer denies any knowledge of the 2015 incident.

Under Title IX and University policy, employees are supposed to report any suspected acts counterintuitive to Title IX, including domestic violence. If it is found that one or both Meyers are in violation of that, their contracts can be terminated with cause.

In January, Meyer and his Offensive Coordinator made a trip to San Angelo to watch Central quarterback Maverick McIvor workout. Since then, Ohio State has pulled back from Central's signal caller and McIvor has verbally committed to Texas Tech.