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Ohio State Fires Assistant Coach Who Was Under Investigation

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Apr 30, 2025 11:11 AM ET

Ohio State fired a football coach who was placed on administrative leave late last year amid an investigation.

The Columbus Dispatch's Joey Kaufman obtained a termination letter sent to defensive quality control coach Joe Lyberger on April 23. According to the notice, the university's civil rights compliance office determined that Lyberger violated the school's policy against discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct.

Ohio State placed Lyberger on paid administrative leave during the College Football Playoff on Dec. 27. The Buckeyes defeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl four days later en route to winning the national championship.

Lyberger's attorney, Sam Shamansky, said Lyberger was accused of stalking a female staffer and spitting into a bottle. He called the allegations "absurd" and claimed the investigation uncovered "zero evidence" of guilt.

"It was the most pathetic sham I’ve ever seen," Shamansky told the Columbus Dispatch. "The hearing examiner should have been the prosecutor. It was an absolute embarrassment from a legal perspective, in my opinion."

Lyberger, who played football at Slippery Rock University, worked with Ohio State linebackers after joining Ryan Day's staff in 2021. He previously coached high school football and wrestling before working as a graduate assistant at Ohio Dominican University and spending two seasons as a defensive assistant at Bucknell.

Lyberger had remained on leave this spring, missing Ohio State's practices in March and April. According to The Dispatch, Lyberger is ineligible for rehire by Ohio State and was instructed to "return all university property."

The university declined a request for comment and has not publicly confirmed the firing as of Wednesday morning.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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