COLUMBUS, OHIO (AP) - Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has dismissed starting tailback Carlos Hyde from the team after an alleged assault against a female, according to a published report.
The Columbus Dispatch reported on Monday that Hyde was named as a person of interest in a weekend assault against a female in a downtown Columbus bar. The newspaper cited sources saying Hyde was dismissed from the team over the incident early Saturday.
In a separate incident, first-team cornerback Bradley Roby is being investigated over another assault in Indiana, this one involving him allegedly striking a security guard at a bar.
Ohio State officials did not immediately comment on either incident and declined to confirm Hyde’s dismissal from the team.
Hyde, a 6-foot, 242-pound senior from Naples, Fla., rushed for 970 yards on 185 carries last season, second best on the team behind quarterback Braxton Miller, and was the unbeaten Buckeyes’ leading scorer with 17 touchdowns and 102 points.
He came within just 30 yards of becoming the first running back to reach 1,000 yards in a season in Meyer’s 12 years as a head coach at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and his lone year at Ohio State.
Court records in Monroe County, Ind., indicate Roby was arrested early Sunday morning in Bloomington, Ind., and is facing preliminary charges of misdemeanor battery resulting in bodily injury. He posted bond.
Roby, a 5-11, 192-pound redshirt junior from Suwanee, Ga., was Ohio State’s third-leading tackler last year. He had two interceptions, one for a touchdown, to go with two tackles for minus yardage, one sack, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick.
He had considered jumping into the NFL draft after Ohio State’s 12-0 season but decided to return to the team.
The Bloomington police report charged that Roby tried to start a fight with one patron of the bar and was forced out of the bar. Hoping to reach his friends, he attempted to re-enter the bar and was told he could not. The report states “Mr. Roby then struck one of the security guards in the chest, causing a complaint of pain. He was then wrestled to the ground and detained until police arrived at the scene.”
Ohio State spokesman Jerry Emig said he was “working through channels” and might have a statement from Meyer or others later.
Meyer has faced questions in recent months after the arrest of one of his former players at the University of Florida, tight end Aaron Hernandez, was arrested on murder charges earlier this summer.
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