FILE - This nov. 27, 2010, file photo shows Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, left, celebrating with quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano after an NCAA college football game against Michigan, in Columbus, Ohio.... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - This nov. 27, 2010, file photo shows Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, left, celebrating with quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano after an NCAA college football game against Michigan, in Columbus, Ohio.... (Associated Press) 
 
 Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four other Buckeyes were suspended by the NCAA for the first five games of next season for selling championship rings, jerseys and awards, and receiving improper benefits from a tattoo parlor. All can still play in the Sugar Bowl against Arkansas. 
 
 Along with Pryor, running back Daniel Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey, offensive lineman Mike Adams and defensive end Solomon Thomas must sit out and repay between $1,000 to $2,500 to charity. 
 
 Pryor must repay $2,500 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring, Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award and his 2008 gold pants, a trinket given to players who are a part of a team which beats rival Michigan. 
 
 Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said the school will appeal the suspensions. 
 
 "While we believe sanctions should be rendered, we do believe they are severe," he said Thursday at a news conference. "We do believe we can give mitigating circumstances for the NCAA to consider." 
 
 The NCAA did not suspend the players for Jan. 4 Sugar Bowl against the eighth-ranked Razorbacks because the "student-athletes did not receive adequate rules education during the time period the violations occurred." 
 
 "These are significant penalties based on findings and information provided by the university," Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs, said in the release. 
 
 Lennon said a game was added on to the usual four-game penalty "because these student-athletes did not immediately disclose the violations when presented with the appropriate rules education." 
 
 Pryor is the team's star, while Herron is the leading rusher and Posey is the second-leading receiver. Adams is a starter at left tackle and Thomas a top sub on the defensive line. 
 
 A sixth player, linebacker Jordan Whiting must sit out the first game of the 2011 season and pay $150 to a charity for the value of services that were discounted by the tattoo artist because he was a Buckeyes player. 
 
 "We as coaches feel the buck stops here," coach Jim Tressel said. "We're the ones who need to make things even more crystal clear." 
 
 Smith said Ohio State was not "explicit" in instructing players about the sale of apparel, awards and gifts. 
 
 Adams must repay $1,000 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring. 
 
 Herron must repay $1,150 for selling his football jersey, pants and shoes for $1,000 and receiving discount services worth $150. 
 
 Posey sold his 2008 Big Ten ring for $1,200 and also received discount services. ||||| >>> NCAA news release on Ohio State violations 
 
 Terrelle Pryor and four of his Ohio State teammates will be suspended from the first five games of the 2011 season because of NCAA violations, the school and NCAA announced today. All five will be eligible to play in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4. 
 
 Not that it made the news that much more palatable, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. 
 
 "There is a gut-wrenching feeling when you lose a game, and then there is one that goes beyond when you don't feel as if you did what you should do as people," Tressel said. "So whatever the next step of gut-wrenching is, that's the way you feel, and we feel a responsibility for our kids on and off the field. Obviously, it's painful." 
 
 The other four involved in the five-game suspension next season are wide receiver DeVier Posey, running back Dan Herron, left tackle Mike Adams and backup defensive end Solomon Thomas. The five were sanctioned for first accepting discounted rates on tattoos and then letting that escalate into selling personal OSU memorabilia to the owner of a local tattoo parlor for thousands of dollars over a period starting in 2009. Also, backup linebacker Jordan Whiting will miss one game. 
 
 But all six will be eligible to play in the Sugar, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs said in the NCAA news release announcing the sanctions. There are allowances for that, he said. 
 
 "The policy for suspending withholding conditions (suspensions) for bowl games of NCAA championship competition recognizes the unique opportunity these events provide at the end of a season, and they are evaluated differently from a withholding perspective," Lennon said. "In this instance, the facts are consistent with the established policy." 
 
 The problems came to light as a result of a federal probe into the affairs of the tattoo parlor owner. Smith said the U.S. Attorney's office notified OSU officials on Dec. 7 that during the searches related to the probe, a stash of OSU memorabilia signed by the players in question was discovered. 
 
 The subsequent investigation by the OSU compliance office led to interviews with the players and then the suspensions. This is what each of them will have to repay to regain elibility next season: 
 
 Adams must repay $1,000 to a charity for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring 
 
 Herron must repay $1,150 to a charity for selling his football jersey, pants and shoes for $1,000 and receiving discounted services worth $150 
 
 Posey must repay $1,250 to a charity for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,200 and receiving discounted services worth $50 
 
 Pryor must repay $2,500 to a charity for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring, a 2009 Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award and his 2008 Gold Pants, a gift from the university 
 
 Thomas must repay $1,505 to a charity for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,000, his 2008 Gold Pants for $350 and receiving discounted services worth $155 
 
 Whiting must pay $150 to a charity for receiving discounted services. 
 
 "We will appeal the game suspensions," Smith today said at a news conference, but he also praised the NCAA for reacting quickly to the situation. 
 
 Smith went on to say that the U.S. Attorney's office assured them that as far as the players' involvement was concerned, "this is not a criminal case. ... And it is not an agent or booster case." 
 
 If players miss do miss five games next year, they would sit out contests against Akron (Sept. 3), Toledo (Sept. 10), at the University of Miami (Sept. 17), Colorado (Sept. 24) and the Big Ten opener against Michigan State (Oct. 1). 
 
 tmay@dispatch.com ||||| FILE - In this April 14, 2018, file photo, Ohio Setate coach Urban Meyer watches the NCAA college football team's spring game in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State has placed Meyer on paid administrative leave... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this April 14, 2018, file photo, Ohio Setate coach Urban Meyer watches the NCAA college football team's spring game in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State has placed Meyer on paid administrative leave while it investigates claims that his wife knew about allegations of abuse against an assistant coach... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this April 14, 2018, file photo, Ohio Setate coach Urban Meyer watches the NCAA college football team's spring game in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State has placed Meyer on paid administrative leave while it investigates claims that his wife knew about allegations of abuse against an assistant coach... (Associated Press) FILE - In this April 14, 2018, file photo, Ohio Setate coach Urban Meyer watches the NCAA college football team's spring game in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State has placed Meyer on paid administrative leave... (Associated Press) 
 
 Urban Meyer's Ohio State program has been one of the best in college football and for the most part has avoided major off-field issues and player behavior problems that tarnished his championship teams at Florida. 
 
 Now Meyer appears to be in jeopardy of losing his job as Buckeyes coach over the handling of a longtime assistant who has been accused of domestic violence. 
 
 Ohio State placed Meyer on paid administrative leave Wednesday while it investigates claims that his wife knew about allegations of abuse against former Buckeyes assistant Zach Smith, who was fired last week. 
 
 Smith's ex-wife, Courtney Smith, told Stadium that she told Shelley Meyer in 2015 that Zach Smith had assaulted her . Courtney Smith provided text messages to former ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy between her and Shelley Meyer about Zach Smith's behavior, and threatening text messages she said were sent to her by Zach Smith. 
 
 "Shelley said she was going to have to tell Urban," Courtney Smith told Stadium. "I said: 'That's fine, you should tell Urban.'" 
 
 Courtney Smith said she did not know if Shelley Meyer told Urban Meyer about the allegations against Zach Smith, who has never been convicted of a crime or charged with assaulting his ex-wife. 
 
 Zach Smith's attorney, Brad Koffel, said in a statement to ESPN on Wednesday: "Once he gets his chance to tell his side of events, don't be surprised when it is corroborated by every police who ever responded to Ms. Smith's calls." 
 
 Ohio State will now look into what Urban Meyer knew and when, and it could determine whether he remains coach of the Buckeyes. 
 
 Meyer is heading into his seventh season at Ohio State, where he is 73-8 with a national title in 2014 and two Big Ten Conference championships. Shelley Meyer is a registered nurse and is employed as an instructor at Ohio State. Both Meyer and his wife could be in violation of Ohio State's Title IX sexual misconduct policy on reporting allegations of domestic violence against university employees. 
 
 Violation of the university's policy could result in Meyer being fired with cause by the university, according to provisions placed in his contract when it was extended by two years in April. The new deal runs through 2022 and increases Meyer's salary to $7.6 million in 2018, with annual six percent raises for the bulk of his compensation. 
 
 Offensive coordinator Ryan Day will serve as acting head coach for the Buckeyes, expected to be one of the top teams in the nation again this season. Ohio State's first preseason practice is scheduled for Friday. The season starts Sept. 1 with a game against Oregon State in Columbus, Ohio. 
 
 Meyer said in a statement he and athletic director Gene Smith agreed that his being on leave was best for the investigation. 
 
 "This allows the team to conduct training camp with minimal distraction. I eagerly look forward to the resolution of this matter," Meyer said. 
 
 Meyer is on the short list of most accomplished coaches in college football history, with three national championships and an .851 winning percentage in 16 seasons at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and now Ohio State, the team he grew up rooting for in Northeast Ohio. 
 
 Meyer won national championships with Florida in 2006 and '08, but his teams also had more than two dozen players get into trouble with the law. He resigned twice at Florida, citing health reasons, first in 2009 season after the Gators lost the Southeastern Conference championship game while trying to repeat as national champs. He changed his mind soon after and coached another season. The Gators went 8-5 in 2010, and after, Meyer stepped down for good. 
 
 Meyer was out of coaching for a season, but was hired by Ohio State in November 2011. The Buckeyes had fired Jim Tressel, another national championship-winning coach, before that season for lying to the NCAA and university of about rules violation committed by some of his players. 
 
 Since returning to coaching, Meyer's program has been one of the most dominant in college football, and his players have mostly stayed out of major trouble. 
 
 Meyer did face some criticism in 2013 for allowing running back Carlos Hyde to return to the team after he was charged with striking a woman in a bar. The case was dropped by police when the woman chose not to pursue charges, but Hyde was suspended three games by Ohio State. 
 
 Zach Smith is the grandson of late Ohio State coach Earle Bruce, who Meyer has long praised as a mentor and one of the most influential people in his life. Smith played for Meyer at Bowling Green and began his coaching career under Meyer in Florida. 
 
 In 2009, Zach Smith was accused of aggravated battery on his then-pregnant wife while he was working for Meyer in Gainesville, Florida. The charge was dropped because of insufficient evidence. 
 
 Meyer hired Smith to join him at Ohio State in 2012, and fired Smith last week after an Ohio court granted a domestic violence protective order to Courtney Smith against her former husband. The firing came on the same day the 2009 allegation against Zach Smith was reported, along with police reports detailing two other accusations Courtney Smith made against Zach Smith in fall of 2015. Charges were never filed in those cases. The Smiths separated in June 2015 and divorced in 2016. 
 
 Zach Smith was charged in May with misdemeanor criminal trespass. He pleaded not guilty, and a hearing is scheduled for Friday. 
 
 At Big Ten media days last week, Meyer said he knew of the incident in 2009 and that he and Shelley Meyer addressed it with the Smiths. He was also asked about the 2015 incident alleged by Courtney Smith. 
 
 "I can't say it didn't happen because I wasn't there," Meyer said. "I was never told about anything and nothing ever came to light. I've never had a conversation about it. I know nothing about it. First I heard about that was last night. No, and I asked some people back at the office to call and say what happened and they came back and said they know nothing about it." 
 
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– And there was much joy in Michigan: Five Ohio State Buckeyes—including star QB Terrelle Pryor—have been suspended by the NCAA for the first five games of next season for selling rings, jerseys, and other goodies to make a buck, reports the Columbus Dispatch. They will, however, be able to play in this year's Sugar Bowl. The school plans to appeal. Some of the players also received what the NCAA deemed improper discounts from a tattoo parlor. All have to give between 1,000 to $2,500 to charity to make up for their profits. Pryor sold his 2008 Big Ten championship ring and his 2008 "gold pants," which the AP describes as "a trinket" given to players on a team that beats Michigan.