Meyer Releases Statement, Explains Actions

Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer released a statement via Twitter on Friday afternoon, two days after he was placed on paid administrative leave by the university.

In the statement, which can be found in the tweet below, Meyer reiterates that he takes the core values in his program – including respect for women – seriously, and has handled all incidences regarding his program in the proper manner. He noted that he passed the information he had regarding allegations of domestic violence against then-assistant coach Zach Smith through proper channels in 2015.

At Big Ten Media Days in Chicago on July 24, Meyer denied having knowledge of the 2015 incident, while a report Wednesday by Brett McMurphy found that individuals close to Meyer were aware of the events. In his statement on Friday, Meyer acknowledged that he was not prepared to address questions from the media regarding the incident in Chicago, and apologized for misleading comments he made at the time.

“Please know that the truth is the ultimate power and I am confident that I took appropriate action,” Meyer said. “As I stated above, I deeply regret if I have failed in my words.”

Meyer singed off his note by saying that he looks forward to rejoining the Buckeyes soon. Offensive coordinator Ryan Day is serving as acting head coach during Meyer’s absence as the university conducts a full investigation.