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The state of Ohio has publicly contested a report that former Buckeyes assistant coach Zach Smith used a racial epithet in a clash with a former player last year.
The father of Ohio's former receiver, Trevon Grimes, told Brett McMurphy, of Stadium, that Smith had used the keyword during a lively exchange with his son during the event. 39, a training last year.
The school denied this allegation when McMurphy made contact with her and reiterated her position in a statement on Tuesday. Smith also denied using this racial insult when McMurphy contacted him.
"Ohio State University unequivocally and unequivocally challenges Brett McMurphy's baseless allegations," the statement said. "Any allegation of racism is scandalous and false." The university told McMurphy that we had found no evidence to support these charges, which is irresponsible, inflammatory and a serious attack. to the privacy of a sports student and his family .. unfounded personal attack against the coach [Urban] Meyer. It is unfortunate that McMurphy and his employer are doing such bad judgment in telling this inaccurate story. "
Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith also issued a statement Tuesday, saying that racism "is just not tolerated here."
"The accusations made today by Brett McMurphy regarding our coach and the reasons for the transfer of Trevon Grimes are undoubtedly false," Smith said. "Urban Meyer embraces diversity and would never support an environment of racism, it's just not tolerated here, and as an African-American, football player and college administrator, I can personally say that our coaches, student-athletes and support staff know there is no room for such behavior in our programs at Ohio State University or elsewhere. "
The State of Ohio told McMurphy that "interaction" had occurred between Grimes and Smith, but pointed out that there was no corroboration of a "physical altercation" or "foul language".
Grimes, who was transferred to Florida after the incident, did not publicly comment on the altercation. Several players present at the 2017 training also told McMurphy that they had not heard Smith use the offensive word.
However, Grimes' father, LeBron Grimes, and his friend Dennis Allen, both told McMurphy that Trevon had told them that Smith called him racial insult. LeBron Grimes told McMurphy that after speaking with a helpless Trevon, he had traveled to Florida from Ohio to help his son and send him away from his home. school.
McMurphy reported that three anonymous Florida players had said that Trevon had told them a story similar to that of LeBron Grimes on the incident.
Trevon's mother, Leah Grimes, and a spokeswoman for the University of Florida both told McMurphy that Trevon and LeBron Grimes had not spoken to each other for at least two years, although they had not heard from him. an analysis of the Stadium's public archives indicates that Trevon and his father spoke on the phone the same day. from incident to practice.
The state of Ohio sent Smith back in July, a day after his ex-wife accused him of mistreating her in an interview with McMurphy.
Courtney Smith also accused Meyer and other members of the Ohio State Sports Department of not having aided or misreported her accusations when they had knowledge of allegations of abuse in recent years.
The school suspended Meyer for three games and opened an investigation into how he and other university students had responded to Courtney Smith's requests for help.
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