COLUMBUS, Ohio —
Ohio State announced football coach Urban Meyer will be suspended for the first three games of the season as a result of an independent investigation finding he "did not exhibit the kind of leadership and high standards" the university expects.
OSU director of athletics Gene Smith also was handed a suspension that will last from August 31-September 16.
The news came after an all-day meeting of the school’s board of trustees.
Meyer was placed on paid administrative leave after a report surfaced that he knew about allegations against then-assistant coach Zach Smith and abuse against Smith's wife, Courtney.
Zach Smith was fired on July 23 after he was charged with criminal trespassing. He was also served with a civil protection order.
Meyer denied knowledge of a the 2015 incident a day later but released a statement on Aug. 3 apologizing for how he handled questions at that time.
More noteworthy: Meyer also stated he followed all protocols related to the allegations in 2015.
Later that evening, Zach Smith told ESPN he never beat his wife but admitted to contributing to their marriage being "toxic." He also said he had discussed the 2015 police investigation with both Meyer and Ohio State director of athletics Gene Smith.
Ohio State named an “independent board” to look into what Meyer knew and how he handled it.
Ryan Day served as interim head coach while Meyer was on paid administrative leave.
Media access was limited during training camp, but Day provided an extensive update late last week.
Ohio State opens the season at home against Oregon State on Sept. 1.