Nick Saban on Urban Meyer: Ohio State will ‘do what they need to do to make it right’

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Reached for comment about the scandal that has rocked Ohio State football this week, Alabama coach Nick Saban was wisely cautious with his words.

“I don’t think it’s my place to really comment on it,” Saban said. “I don’t know the facts. I don’t know any details. I don’t think it would be fair for me to say that. I think we all have a tremendous amount of respect for treating other people, male or female, the right way.”

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However, the former OSU defensive backs coach also expressed confidence the investigation into whether or not Urban Meyer improperly handled allegations of domestic abuse by one of his assistants will be handled correctly.

“I’m sure the people at Ohio State will do a fantastic job of investigating and doing what they need to do to make it right,” Saban added.

Meyer was placed on paid administrative leave Wednesday after published reports alleged he knew of ongoing domestic problems between wide receivers coach Zach Smith and his now-ex-wife, Courtney.

Smith was fired last week after violating a domestic protection order.

At that time, Meyer said he knew of an incident between the Smiths in 2009 when Zach Smith worked for Meyer at Florida but said his staffers told him a 2015 incident that recently surfaced did not happen.

>>FULL STORY: Ohio State coach reveals what he did, didn’t know about assistant coach’s actions

Courtney Smith subsequently told national college football reporter Brett McMurphy and the website Stadium that she had told Meyer's wife, Shelley, about the 2015 incident.

While Courtney said she believed Urban Meyer knew -- in part because the wives of other coaches also knew -- but she was not certain he did.

Ohio State began practice for the 2018 season Friday morning.

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