Texas' Herman denies tipping off reporter about Zach Smith's past
Texas head coach Tom Herman denied Saturday that he tipped off the journalist who brought ex-Ohio State receivers coach Zach Smith's history of domestic incidents to light.
"It is absolutely untrue," Herman told Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman through a spokesperson. "Neither I, nor anybody in my family, has ever communicated with (reporter) Brett McMurphy about the situation at Ohio State."
A report published Saturday morning by Ohio State insider Jeff Snook on Facebook said Herman provided McMurphy with information about Smith's past.
Smith was arrested in 2009 for aggravated battery on a pregnant woman while part of Urban Meyer's staff at Florida, and was investigated for domestic violence again in 2015 while on Meyer's staff with the Buckeyes. He wasn't charged in connection with either incident. He was cited for criminal trespassing and appeared in court in July 2018 - before McMurphy's report came out and days before his ex-wife, Courtney Smith, filed a protective order against him. Smith was fired July 23.
McMurphy also issued a strong denial that he was led to the story by Herman, who coached at Ohio State on the same staff as Smith from 2012-14.
For those who have asked for my response to Jeff Snook’s claim Saturday: “I have never revealed my sources in my nearly four decade journalistic career & I am not going to start now. However, I will say unequivocally that Tom Herman was not my source.”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 11, 2018
Meyer is currently on paid leave while Ohio State investigates how much he knew about the 2015 investigation into Smith and whether he properly reported it to his superiors.