One of the greatest coaches in college football history is no stranger to reacting about the latest story to hit the sport.

In the latest example, Steve Spurrier said he’s “hoping and praying” that the wife of Ohio State coach Urban Meyer did not tell him about allegations about domestic violence against a former assistant coach. Spurrier made these comments to Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi. Spurrier and Meyer will forever have their careers linked not only because of their championship success, but also their tenures at Florida.

News broke Wednesday that Meyer was put on paid administrative leave by the Buckeyes following a report from college football reporter Brett McMurphy that addressed allegations of domestic violence incidents involving former receivers coach Zach Smith and his ex-wife Courtney Smith.

“I consider Urban a good friend, I really do,” Spurrier said. “Here’s what I’m hoping and praying happened is that his wife, Shelley, did not tell him about the latest incident in 2015. I guess we’ll wait and see … whether she told him about it. It’s unfortunate that the guy (Zach Smith) was allowed to be on the staff for that long a period of time. Hopefully, it’ll be proven that Urban did not know anything about it, and as soon as he found out about it, he dismissed the guy.”

Spurrier also noted that he made a zero-tolerence domestic violence policy long before sexual harassment and other employment policies entered the news cycle as they are today.

“I don’t know if I was the first, but I know I was one coach who told the players up front: ‘If you ever hit a girl or get any sort of domestic violence charge or sexual charge then you’re finished.’ ” Spurrier said. “That was one rule I had that there was no negotiating on. I’ve seen other coaches who would keep players and try to rehab them … but I think it (zero tolerance on domestic violence) should be a rule in all of college football.”