facebook-pixel

Ohio State fires assistant coach charged after domestic dispute

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer watches the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Wisconsin, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Columbus, Ohio • Ohio State has fired receivers coach Zach Smith, who was charged last week with misdemeanor criminal trespass after a dispute with his ex-wife.

Coach Urban Meyer announced Smith's dismissal in a two-sentence statement on Monday.

The move came after multiple media outlets reported that Smith's ex-wife has filed for a protective order against him. The Columbus Dispatch reported that Courtney Smith wrote in a sworn document that her ex-husband has stalked and intimidated her.

At the time of the trespass charge, Zach Smith's attorney said Smith's ex-wife accused him of driving to her apartment after she told him they would meet elsewhere so he could drop off their son.

Meyer was scheduled to speak to reporters at Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday. According to his statement, "coaching staff adjustments will be announced at a later date."

Smith is the grandson of former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce. He had been on the Buckeyes' staff since Meyer arrived in 2012, and he previously worked as a graduate assistant under Meyer at Florida.

Support free news for Utah

sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.

Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.

You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.