Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer encouraged Zach Smith to stay with the Buckeyes in January 2018 after the then-assistant coach was pursued by Alabama, according to texts messages from Meyer to Smith.
On Friday, Ohio State released thousands of pages of heavily redacted texts and email that were part of an external investigation conducted last August into Meyer's handling of Smith and what he knew about allegations of domestic violence made by Smith's ex-wife, Courtney Smith.
In two texts dated January 2018, one to Ohio State's president, Meyer writes Smith was offered an assistant coaching job by Alabama.
In a text exchange with Smith dated Jan. 18, 2018, Meyer writes: "I have personally invested far too much in u to get u in position to take next step."