Urban Meyer issues statement after receiving 3-game suspension
By Adam Spencer
Published:
On Wednesday night, Ohio State held a press conference, announcing a three-game suspension for coach Urban Meyer after it was revealed that he knew of former WR coach Zach Smith’s 2015 domestic-violence arrest.
During the press conference, Meyer spoke, saying he apologized for the situation he put the school in and for sticking by his former assistant for so long.
Reading from a statement, Meyer said his respect for great Ohio State coach Earle Bruce — Zach Smith’s grandfather — may have clouded his judgement in the situation:
"I want to apologize to Buckeye nation. I followed my heart and not my head… I should have done more, and I am sorry for that." – Urban Meyer
More at https://t.co/JB1AAXRNa2 pic.twitter.com/IND6lF708k
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 23, 2018
“At each juncture, I gave Zach Smith the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “As I reflect, my loyalties to his grandfather, Earle Bruce, who was my mentor and like a father to me, likely impacted how I treated Zach over the years.”
Meyer also admitted that he wasn’t as accurate as he should have been when the reports came out during Big Ten Media Days:
“I was not as complete and accurate as I should have been at Media Days, but my intention was not to mislead,” Meyer said.
Meyer continued, saying he wishes he would have known more about the situation involving Smith:
Urban Meyer: "Most of what I know about Zach Smith is work related. The biggest regret is I wish I knew more. If so, I would have taken action much quicker"
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 23, 2018
Meyer then took questions from the media, alongside president Michael Drake and AD Gene Smith.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
