Ohio State football: Hyde suspended from team

7/22/2013
BLADE STAFF

COLUMBUS — The day began with a mandatory 7 a.m. team meeting and dark skies roiling over the Ohio State football complex.

Hours later Monday, the school announced top running back Carlos Hyde has been suspended indefinitely, along with penalties for three other Buckeyes players arrested in the past week.

In a move that rocked a Buckeyes team with national championship ambitions, Hyde was suspended — not booted from the team, contrary to earlier reports — after he was named as a person of interest in a weekend assault. Though no charges have been filed, a woman told Columbus police Hyde assaulted her at a downtown bar early Saturday morning, according to a preliminary investigation report.

Details remained scarce but the report said Hyde did not know the alleged victim.

The school also announced penalties for star cornerback Bradley Roby, freshman lineman Tim Gardner, and freshman tight end Marcus Baugh.

“I have a clear set of core values in place that members of this football program are constantly reminded of and are expected to honor,” coach Urban Meyer said in a release. “There are also expectations with regard to behavior. I expect our players to conduct themselves responsibly and appropriately and they will be held accountable for their actions.”

Roby faces a misdemeanor charge of battery resulting in bodily injury after he was arrested early Sunday in Bloomington, Ind., according to a statement from police.

Roby will not attend Big Ten media days in Chicago this week and, according to OSU, could face "additional discipline" as more information becomes available.

Gardner, a freshman from Indianapolis who was arrested Saturday in Columbus on charges of obstruction of official business, was kicked off the team. Baugh, who was arrested July 14 for underage drinking and displaying a false ID, is suspended from team activities through the Buckeyes’ first game against Buffalo.