Media members have strong reaction to Ohio State's public report on Urban Meyer
Everyone saw the news about Urban Meyer’s three-game suspension Wednesday night, but following the announcement and weak press conference, the university released the public records and findings from the independent working group. We encourage you to read the whole report here.
The report begs the question as to how Meyer kept his job. The three things that stuck out the most were: 1. Ohio State attributed his media days debacle to memory loss due to medication he takes, 2. Meyer never mentioned Zach Smith’s 2009 arrest to anyone at Ohio State and 3. Meyer seemed to have deleted all of his old text messages. You can read the details about the text messages here.
Meyer was already being hammered for his press conference, and once media members got their hands on the public records, there was a whole new wave of reaction to the findings:
Investigation report reveals in May 2014 on recruiting trip to Florida, Zach Smith ran up $600 bill at a strip club along with another OSU football coach. Urban Meyer warned Smith if it happened again, he would be fired
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 23, 2018
After Zach’s 2014 strip club trip, Urban changed Coaches Manual “morality clause;” staff was to “avoid strip clubs/venues that would embarrass” OSU & prohibited “pornography on any school issued phone” Meyer did not report to compliance. In 2015, Zach took his White House photo
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 23, 2018
Whoa. Per report, Zach Smith's 2009 arrest did not come up in Ohio State's background check when he was hired. Urban Meyer didn't tell anyone at Ohio State about it. Gene Smith learned of it for the first time last month.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) August 23, 2018
Investigative report: In 2016, AD Gene Smith, who was generally aware of Zach Smith’s performance issues during this time period, suggested that Coach Meyer consider replacing him. Meyer decided not to do so
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 23, 2018
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 23, 2018
And when Urban turned his phone over to the investigative team, it had no text messages that were older than one year. Holy crap.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 23, 2018
Amazing how none of this was mentioned at the presser. Urban gets to say he didn’t know about Shelley’s texts with Courtney and now we know in the report that the committee couldn’t corroborate that because…his phone was wiped!
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 23, 2018
Maybe a few wide receivers coaches in America would survive this if it was a one-time thing, but not many https://t.co/OQADEiF86I
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 23, 2018
In June 2016, based on medical advice & direction from Urban Meyer, Zach Smith was admitted to a drug treatment facility for addiction. Source told me this was Sibcy House in Mason, Ohio, & Zach Smith left after 4-days & didn’t complete his 10-day treatment
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 23, 2018
Most damning thing in OSU report: Meyer claiming he met with Zach and Courtney in his office in 2009 and they said Zach was arrested based on incorrect info supplied to police by Courtney & that Zach never hit her. Only one problem: Zach admitted Courtney wasn’t there. (1 of 2)
— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) August 23, 2018
(2/2) Committee then said, "We find it more likely that only Zach Smith met with Coach Meyer in 2009, and that Courtney Smith likely did not recant her allegations of abuse at that time to Urban or Shelley Meyer.”
This is who you’re now married to, Ohio State.
— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) August 23, 2018
This poor girl was getting beaten, and revolting Ohio State fans were latching onto her estranged mother and the mother of the abuser saying Courtney made it all up. Sickening.
— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) August 23, 2018
After reading the report I can see why they spend 11 hours in there. Anyone else would have been fired. Serious people had to come to terms with an unserious decision.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 23, 2018
This part of the investigative report blames Urban Meyer’s memory issues for his lies at Big Ten Media Days. Really. pic.twitter.com/2MFSzsCiSK
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 23, 2018
Also found it disturbing when committee chair chided Meyer, saying you can’t always think law enforcement will take action in DV cases. But then allowed Powell Police's magically missing checked arrest box as Meyer’s crutch for lying at B1G Media Days.
Cant have it both ways.
— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) August 23, 2018
OSU findings: Zach Smith "promiscuous & embarrassing sexual behavior, drug abuse, truancy, dishonesty, financial irresponsibility, possible NCAA violation & lengthy police investigation into allegations of criminal domestic violence & cybercrimes" yet Meyer never disciplined him
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 23, 2018
I just can’t get over this utter BS. I mean, fine if he’s actually mentally diminished. That’s very sad and not to be made fun of. But if so, HE PROBABLY SHOULDN’T BE CEO OF YOUR CASH COW. https://t.co/BEbjc7Y2KM
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_SEC) August 23, 2018
Per report, Urban Meyer "sometimes had significant memory issues in other situations where he had prior extensive knowledge of events." That's a heck of an impairment for major-college head fb coach.
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) August 23, 2018
