Here’s the timeline of the troubling scandal unfolding at Ohio State football and here’s why head coach Urban Meyer’s tenure with the Buckeyes – he was put on administrative leave on Wednesday evening – and coaching career in general are, and should be, in such precarious positions.

In 2015, Courtney Smith, the then-wife of then-Ohio State assistant football coach Zach Smith, alleges she was physically attacked by her then-husband. She has gruesome and heartbreaking photos to back it up, part of a lengthy abusive relationship, which includes a 2009 arrest of Zach Smith for domestic abuse when he worked for Urban Meyer at the University of Florida.

Despite that 2009 arrest, which did not result in a conviction, Meyer again hired Smith when Meyer became the head coach at OSU.

“We found out what happened, coordinated through both parties, met with them,” Meyer said of the 2009 incident. “There were no charges, everything was dropped. It was a very young couple, and I saw a very talented coach and we moved forward.”

Giving Zach Smith a second (or who knows how high the number) chance was a major personnel risk and, considering the abuse allegedly didn’t stop, a terrible call by Meyer.

View photos Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer autographs a hat at the Big Ten Conference NCAA college football media days in Chicago. (AP) More

Last week, Meyer claimed he knew nothing of the 2015 incident, though. Zach Smith remained on the staff until this summer when he was dismissed from the program, in part because Courtney Smith, who is no longer with Zach Smith, issued a protective order against Zach which brought the issue to light, and in part because the story became public via veteran college football reporter Brett McMurphy.

Still, Meyer threw up his hands and said he couldn’t be responsible for knowing what he didn’t know in 2015.

“I was never told about anything, anything never came to light, never had a conversation about it, so I know nothing about that,” Meyer said last week.

He went as far as to cast aspersions on McMurphy’s reporting.

Well, on Wednesday, McMurphy was back with text messages between Courtney Smith and Shelley Meyer, Urban’s wife and closest confidant.

It is clear that at least Shelley Meyer knew about the 2015 allegation, which included horrific photos of a bloodied and bruised Courtney Smith. It is also clear that Shelley Meyer took the incident serious enough that on at least one occasion she reached out to Courtney Smith to inquire how she was and offer additional support. Shelley Meyer also confirmed she saw the pictures.

“I am with you!” Shelley Meyer texted. “A lot of women stay hoping it will get better. I don’t blame you! But just want u to be safe. Do you have a restraining order? He scares me.”

“Restraining orders don’t do anything in Ohio,” Courtney Smith texted back. “I tried to get protection order which is what started this whole investigation. And that should go through soon finally. It’s hard [because] you have to prove immediate danger. Legal system is tough. Basically, you have to prove he will kill u to get protective order.”

“Geesh! Even [with] the pics?” Shelley Meyer texted. “Didn’t law enforcement come to your place ever??”

It went on from there. Courtney Smith said numerous wives on the Ohio State staff knew of the 2015 incident where Courtney claimed Zach shoved her against a wall and strangled her all while their then 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter were in the room. Police were called but the incident did not progress to any arrests.

Courtney Smith, in an interview with Stadium, said she also spoke to Shelley Meyer about it.

“I told Shelley,” Courtney said. “I sent her some pictures. I spoke to her on the phone. She said she was going to have to tell Urban. I said, ‘That’s fine. You should tell Urban. You can’t have someone like this coaching young men.’ ”

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