Report: Urban Meyer's contract among B1G's strictest
Since Ohio State placed Urban Meyer on administrative leave Aug. 1, the head coach’s contract has received increased attention from reporters and legal experts. USA Today decided to take a look at the contracts for all 14 B1G head coaches and found that Meyer’s is among the strictest.
Somewhat ironically, one of the other stricter contracts belongs to the other conference head coach on administrative leave, Maryland’s D.J. Durkin (though that situation does not regard alleged sexual misconduct).
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Here is USA Today’s quick summary of their findings:
Generally, Big Ten coach’s contracts include language binding them to all university rules, indirectly subjecting them to the university sexual misconduct policies which are outlined in separate documents. However, Meyer’s contract, along with Illinois coach Lovie Smith and Maryland coach D.J. Durkin’s contracts, for example, specify coaches must report allegations of sexual misconduct in addition to simply mentioning that they are subject to all university policies.
Meyer was placed on administrative leave after a Brett McMurphy report shined light on allegations of domestic abuse by former Buckeyes assistant coach Zach Smith in 2015. The media spotlight on Smith has also resulted in reports surfacing that he was arrested for drunk driving in 2013 (and pleaded to a lesser charge) and, more recently, ordered sex toys delivered to the football office, took nude photos of himself during the team visit to the White House and had sex with a subordinate in the football offices in 2015. The staffer was reportedly moved to a different position in the athletic department while Smith kept his job as wide receivers coach.
Smith was fired in July 2018 after his ex-wife Courtney Smith obtained a protection order. In May 2018, Zach Smith was cited for trespassing after coming on Courtney Smith’s property to drop off their kids instead of at an arranged public location.
USA Today’s summary of reporting obligations for all 14 coaches, including Meyer, can be found here.