5.12.2022, 10:55
COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio State University president Michael V. Drake used four words to describe thegoalsof the investigation,overseenby anindependentpanelappointedby the Board of Trustees, into the conduct of football coach Urban Meyer and athletic director Gene Smith, late Wednesday night at the Longaberger Alumni House.We want it to be fair, we want it to be just, we want it to be equitable and to be appropriate, Drake said after he and the board deliberated for 12 hoursabouthow to respond tothepanelsfindings.Fair.Just.Equitable.Appropriate. Were those goals, in fact, met?MORE: without pay through Sept. 2 and for the Buckeyes first three games of the 2018 season. Gene Smithwill besuspended without pay from Aug. 31 to Sept. 16. The investigation concluded they failed to adhere to the precise requirements of their contract" when it came to an alleged 2015 incident of domestic violence between Zach Smith and his ex-wife Courtney Smith, but that they "did so based upon thegoodfaithbelief that they did not have Will Smith Jersey sufficient information to trigger a reporting obligation," based on the absence of law enforcement action.All that said, Meyer and Smith had a series of poor responses at the news conference about how they handled those domestic violence allegations. The tone seemed more concerned about the future of the football program and le s about the i sue that led to the me s in the first place.Forget about the suspensions. Forget thatMeyer wont be coaching against Oregon State on Sept. 1,Rutgers on Sept. 8 orTCU on Sept. 15.Pay attention insteadto a series of mi sed opportunities, where the universitys most powerful voices could have shifted the attention back to the seriousne s of the domestic violence allegations at the center of the investigation.When asked about what me sage he has for Courtney Smithone of the key figures in thisscandal Luke Jackson Jersey Meyerdeclined tospeak out on that i sue.He didn't even mention her by name. Neither did Drake or Gene Smith.I have a me sage for everyone involved in this, Meyer said. "I'm sorry were in the situation."After that, Meyer insisted he had learned his le son about the seriousne s of domestic violence and taking nece sary precautions with any future hires.My awarene s of domestic violence whenever you hear about that i sue, Ive grown,"Meyer said. "I've grown over the years. I will be very cautious."Two conflicting statements that veered in two different directions, leaving a few more questions for Meyer. Much like at Big Ten Media Days, he had a chance to show compa sion for Zach and Courtney Smiths personal situation while making a statement that treating women with respect isn't just signage in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.Instead, we were left wondering again how Gene Smith and Meyer let this happen.MORE: Gene Smithadmitted Wednesday he wasunawarewhen Meyer hired Zach Smith in 2012of domestic violence allegations againstthe latterin 2009,whenhewas an a sistant coach under Meyer at Florida. How is that po sible?Smith tried to fold his answer into having better background checksin the future."Obviously all of our employees go through a standard background check,"Smith said. "We can go deeper with some of our positions, and thats one we can go deeper on. . . . Hopefully this never happens again."Then, Meyer said he was not aware of the disturbing text me sages from Courtney Smith tohis wife,Shelley, which were detailed in a report by Brett McMurphy. Shelley Meyer also maintains she did not relay Courtney Smiths expre sions Phil Niekro Jersey of fear or allegations of abuse which included photographs because she doubted their veracity.Again, how is that po sible? With that much authority and knowing Smiths history, Meyer should have known more.Then therearethe questions about protocol involving the 2015 incident.When Drake was asked about that, Gene Smith interrupted.The reality is,yes,I was the first one to have been contacted on this allegation, Smith said. I took it to Urban. My failure as a leader, as an effective administrator, was not to include others. . . . This particular case did not give me the red flags to do that."Meyer alsoused that phrase "red flags" to describe hismishandlingofZach Smiths behavior."There were red flags," Meyer said. "Iwish I had known. I wish I had done a better job of finding those things. I wish I was told more."How many red flags do you need to know Zach Smith wasnt fit to be an a sistant coach at Ohio State?In addition to the domestic violence allegations, the summary of findings from the investigation also showed Gene Smith suggested toMeyer to replaceZach Smith in 2016 based on performance i sues.Instead, in 2017, Zach Smith wasgivena 32 percent raise.MORE: In the end, the universitys leadership didnt respond properly to Jonny Venters Jersey the allegations. That calls into questionif the punishmentsfit thegoalsDrake espoused.Were they fair? There was no arrestfor those domestic violence allegations in 2015, but the pattern of disturbing behaviorfrom Zach Smith, at aminimum, deserved more action from Gene Smith and Meyerthan was taken.Were they just? That depends on Warren Spahn Jersey who you ask.For those who thought Meyer deserved to be reinstatedwithout penalty, this proves thats clearly not the case.Were they equitable? It was avoidable, had Ohio States leadership handled Zach Smith properly in 2012, 2013 and 2015.Perhaps azero tolerance policy should have been in place for the coaches. It needs to be inplace now.Were they appropriate? There was nothing appropriate about the last three weeks, with every detail of Zach and Courtney Smiths me sy divorce being dragged into the public eye. It took away, from the start, the main i sue at hand. When abuse allegations in any form aren't taken seriously enough, this can happen.You're ultimately responsible to represent this incredible university, Meyer said. I wish I had done more. I wish I had known more."Weve heard that line a few times by now, and it never works when trying to a suage the damage already done.This was no exception.