COLUMBUS, Ohio — Joe Lyberger, the defensive quality control coach for Ohio State, is currently on paid administrative leave as the university conducts an investigation concerning him. This leave commenced on December 27, when the university’s human resources department notified Lyberger through a formal letter. The investigation is being carried out by the Office of Institutional Equity at Ohio State.

The letter, which was made public via a records request, did not disclose the specific details surrounding the nature of the investigation. It has been reported that the Office of Institutional Equity handles various complaints, including those related to harassment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct.

In comments made by Sam Shamansky, Lyberger’s attorney, he described the situation as a difficult ordeal for his client. He criticized the university’s response and claimed that their system effectively hampers legal counsel, leaving lawyers with minimal influence during the hearing process. Shamansky labeled the situation as a “travesty of justice,” expressing concern about the lack of clarity from the university regarding the duration of the investigation.

Shamansky emphasized that the university’s approach tends to keep individuals uninformed and leads to what he called “pseudo-justice.” He believes the structure is designed in a way that disadvantages the accused, focusing more on protecting the institution than on safeguarding fundamental rights. “The university is regrettably interested only in itself as an institution, and not in protecting basic rights of the accused,” Shamansky stated.

Lyberger has been with the Ohio State football staff for the past four seasons. Prior to this role, he spent two seasons as a defensive assistant at Bucknell University and worked as a graduate assistant at Ohio Dominican University. He played collegiate football at Slippery Rock, graduating in 2016.