Ohio State fires assistant following domestic incident

Ohio State announced Monday night the firing of receivers coach Zach Smith.

Delaware County court records show a domestic violence protection order was filed against him Friday by his ex-wife, Courtney.

Smith faces a charge of criminal trespassing, according to Delaware County Municipal Court records. News broke Wednesday about that incident, which occurred May 12 in Powell.

A hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3.

>>EARLIER: Protection order filed against coach

Additionally, national college football reporter Brett McMurphy unearthed records of an incident between the couple when they lived in Gainesville, Fla., in 2009 (Smith was also a member of current Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer's staff at the University of Florida.) and record of an arrest for domestic violence and felonious assault in Delaware County in 2015.

Smith is the grandson of the late Earle Bruce, the College Football Hall of Fame coach who also served as a mentor to Meyer.

>>RELATED: Ohio State athletics mourns the death of beloved coach

Smith was born in Dublin and got his start in coaching as a quality control assistant from 2005-07.

He also worked at Marshall and Temple before joining Meyer in Columbus in 2012.

Smith and his ex-wife have two children together.

Meyer is scheduled to speak to the media Tuesday morning at the Big Ten’s annual Media Days.

About the Author