COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State defensive quality control coach Joe Lyberger has been on paid administrative leave for the last month while the university investigates him.
On December 27, Ohio State’s human resources department informed Lyberger that he would be put on leave right away. The university’s Office of Institutional Equity is conducting the probe.
The Associated Press got the letter on Wednesday through a public records request. The Columbus Dispatch in Ohio first shared news about Lyberger’s situation and mentioned that the Office of Institutional Equity handles reports about harassment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct, among other issues.
The letter didn’t explain what the review was about.
“He’s going through proverbial hell and back,” said Sam Shamansky, an attorney defending Lyberger. The university creates a system that limits lawyers, making them only advisers who cannot help during the case. It’s a serious injustice.
Shamansky said the university hasn’t told him how long the review might last.
“The university keeps people uninformed and creates a fake sense of justice that puts the person accused at a huge disadvantage,” he said. “This happens because the university cares more about itself than about ensuring the basic rights of the accused, whether they are a student, coach, employee, or athlete.” They couldn’t care less.”
Lyberger has been on Ohio State’s football team for the past four years. He worked for two seasons as a defensive assistant at Bucknell and was a graduate assistant at Ohio Dominican before that.
He played at Slippery Rock and graduated in 2016.
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