Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer gets plenty of criticism for the way players under his watch have been handled when they happen to get into some legal trouble. That narrative was silenced on Monday as Meyer dismissed defensive lineman Tracy Sprinkle, who was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested for being a part of a massive bar brawl last week.
Sprinkle may be gone from the Buckeyes roster for now, but Doug Lesmerises of Cleveland.com says a school spokesperson mentioned his position could be re-evaluated at a later time. Sprinkle pleaded not guilty on charges stemming from the brawl. In order to be able to return to the Buckeyes roster, Sprinkle may need all of the charges to be dropped or a court ruling to go in his favor on at least some of the charges.
Of course, such a return to the roster would not be unprecedented under Meyer. Linebacker Storm Klein was welcomed back to the program after he reached a plea agreement in a domestic violence incident in 2012. Klein had been dismissed from the program previously, but Meyer allowed him to return after serving a two-game suspension.
If Meyer is going to run the program with an iron fist, then standing firm on Sprinkle’s dismissal will be necessary if any Sprinkle is found guilty of any of the charges against him. This is not to suggest Sprinkle or any other player is undeserving of a second chance if not sitting in jail, but a change of scenery may be in the best interest for all.