I’ve gone back and forth on the Urban Meyer story. When I initially heard about it, I thought it was blown out of proportion but studied it in greater detail and thought it would result in Meyer’s termination. But I continued to dig and more information came out and I started to think that Meyer did what he should have done. This was always a very complicated story. I was always curious to hear results of the investigation and report. I defended him as the investigation continued.
But in the first full day after the report, after the suspension, part of me questions if he should have been dismissed.
The standard line I’ve heard from Buckeye fans who want to defend Meyer is “He’s not the police. It’s not his job to investigate these things.”
That’s true but that’s not the issue.
Urban hired Zach Smith. Zach Smith has had issues with drinking, issues with other substance abuse. He’s misused university funds. He’s had affairs. He has skipped out on recruiting visits and instead gone to strip clubs. And Urban kept him around. Urban hired him, when he shouldn’t have in the first place. Smith was hired because of who his grandfather is. And Smith ran wild.
Zach Smith was never charged with domestic violence (how he wasn’t, I still don’t understand).
But even without that, he was engaging in many, many, many behaviors that should have resulted in him losing his job and Urban kept him around.
