The investigation into Urban Meyer is completed, and the Ohio State Board of Trustees is set to meet on Wednesday at 9 a.m. to discuss the fate of the head coach.
The past few weeks have been full of twist and turns, rumors and offshoot stories, but as the whole ordeal winds down, it's best to refocus on what's at the core of the situation.
Here are some things to consider as we near the final announcement.
What's the timetable for the announcement?
The Ohio State Board of Trustees will be briefed on the findings from the investigation on Monday to "ensure that board members are adequately prepared to discuss this matter at Wednesday’s meeting."
The board will then meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday to "discuss personnel matters related to the investigation involving Urban Meyer."
Since the board will know the findings of the investigation on Monday and will "discuss personnel matters" on Wednesday, it seems likely a decision will be made at that point, but that is just speculation. Even if the decision is made on Wednesday, that doesn't necessarily mean the announcement will be on the same day.
What we do know is not to expect any announcement before the Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday at 9 a.m. After that, it could happen at any time.
Who is making the decision?
Every member of Ohio State’s Board of Trustees will have the opportunity to have their say in what decision the university should make on Wednesday, when the full board will convene. That board consists of 20 Trustees, including Alex Shumate, Alex Fischer and Janet Porter, who also served on the independent working group that oversaw the investigation. Michael Gasser is the chair of the Board of Trustees, while Timothy Smucker and Abigail Wexner serve as vice chairs. Former Ohio State basketball player Clark Kellogg also serves on the board.
Ultimately, though, the decision lies in the hands of university president Michael Drake, in what might very well be the most high-profile decision of his career to date. Drake has never previously been the president of a university that had a football team – UC Irvine, where he was previously chancellor, did not – and he has only been at Ohio State in 2014, meaning he was not involved in the forced resignation of Jim Tressel or hiring of Meyer.
That makes it difficult to predict how Drake will ultimately rule on Meyer’s future, but while he will likely receive a recommendation from the board on how he should rule, the final say will be his.
What factors into the decision?
Ohio State announced its investigation and placed Meyer on administrative leave on Aug. 1, hours after a report by Brett McMurphy suggested that Meyer was aware of domestic violence allegations made against former wide receivers coach Zach Smith in 2015, which he previously denied eight days earlier at Big Ten Media Days.
While there have been a multitude of other reports about Zach Smith, Courtney Smith and others around the investigation over the past two weeks – and certainly, everything that’s been reported publicly, as well as anything else that’s come up within the university’s investigation – will be considered before a decision is made, the heart of the matter hasn’t changed. Whether Meyer honestly and thoroughly reported what he knew about allegations made against Smith, and whether the university determines he otherwise handled the situation properly, should ultimately determine whether he remains Ohio State’s head football coach.
Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel reported Monday, though, that “the general sense of the investigation is that it has stretched far beyond whether Meyer followed proper protocols in regards to the one specific allegation against Smith in 2015.” So Drake’s decision to reinstate, suspend or fire Meyer could potentially end up being guided by information that has not yet become public.
What is at stake financially?
If Ohio State decides not to retain Meyer as head coach, the university is still likely going to have to pay him.
Should Ohio State choose to fire Meyer without cause, it would owe him a buyout of more than $38 million, unless a settlement agreement is reached.
If Ohio State finds grounds to fire Meyer for cause, he could potentially explore legal options to get the full amount he’s owed, considering his statement on Aug. 3, in which he said he has "always followed proper reporting protocols" when he has learned of allegations made against players, coaches or staff members on his team.
Aside from Meyer himself, Ohio State's investigation could cost up to $500,000, according to a budget set by the state attorney general’s office. That request was scheduled to be presented to the state Controlling Board on Monday, but was delayed and is expected to reappear on the agenda when the group meets again in two weeks, according to Jim Siegel of The Columbus Dispatch, as the parties are adjusting the actual budget for the investigation now that it has concluded.
If reinstated, when could Meyer return?
If Urban Meyer is immediately reinstated with no further punishment, he could return to the team as early as the day of his reinstatement.
If that happens on Wednesday, it would be 10 days before the start of the regular season, giving him time to get his team together after missing the team's entire fall camp.
There is a chance of a suspension – even if he did follow proper protocol in reporting the alleged domestic violence – because of his responses at Big Ten Media Days.
"My words, whether in reply to a reporter's question or in addressing a personnel issue, must be clear compassionate and most of all, completely accurate," Meyer said in his statement on Aug. 3. "Unfortunately, at Big Ten Media Days on July 24th, I failed on many of these fronts."
Meyer is one of the highest-paid public employees in the country and media responsibilities are a substantial portion of his contract and his salary. Dishonesty in a public forum – intentional or not – could lead to a suspension.
According to a report by Lucas Sullivan of The Columbus Dispatch, "two sources connected to the investigation said the likely recommendation to university President Michael V. Drake is a suspension for Meyer." If there is a suspension, there's also a chance it could be a "time served" suspension, according to Sullivan's report, since Meyer will have already been away from the team for three weeks as of Wednesday.
