As expected, Ohio State has formed a committee that will handle the investigation process regarding allegations made against head coach Urban Meyer and his alleged knowledge of domestic abuse by a former assistant coach. On Thursday evening, Ohio State announced the members of the independent working group formed by the Board of Trustees.
Per the Ohio State release, the group working on the investigation will include Board of Trustees members Alex Fischer, Janet Porter and Alex Shumate, former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, former acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Craig Morford and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Carter Stewart.
Update from Ohio State on Urban Meyer investigation: pic.twitter.com/Ybiw0i0euQ
— Dave Briggs (@DBriggsBlade) August 3, 2018
No timeline for the investigation has been outlined, as it is expected the investigation will be given as much time needed to complete a thorough investigation that the school can have confidence will provide the most accurate information possible to make whatever decisions may have to be made moving forward.
Meyer was placed on administrative leave on Wednesday afternoon hours after a report suggested the head coach of the Buckeyes was aware of domestic abuse by former assistant coach Zach Smith against Smith’s wife. Meyer had previously denied having knowledge of the incident originally and suggested he came to be aware of the incident much more recently. A report says Meyer’s wife, Shelley Meyer, exchanged text messages with Smith’s wife about the abuse and other text messages claimed Urban Meyer had a conversation with Smith about an incident in 2015.
Smith was fired just before Meyer was scheduled to appear at Big Ten media day. Meyer claimed the firing of Smith had nothing to do with the revelation of domestic violence arrests of Smith in the past.