Former Heisman Trophy winner and Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard is not the type to get into too many verbal dust-ups, but when controversial Ohio State assistant coach Zach Smith insulted him recently, he had no choice but to take to Twitter to respond.
Smith is the former wide receivers coach under Urban Meyer for the Buckeyes, as well as the grandson of Meyer’s mentor and former OSU head coach Earle Bruce.
Smith, known for his trash talk on social media and his podcast, essentially called Howard classless, “dumb,” and a “bitch” in his December 12 tweet, fifteen days after the Howard’s alma mater Michigan smoked the Buckeyes by a score of 42-27 in Ann Arbor.
His original tweet can be read below.
Desmond Howard is the worst kind of Bitch.
1️⃣ He doesn’t study football
2️⃣ Or worse… he’s too dumb to comprehend it
3️⃣ He has as much Class as a Saturday in July
4️⃣ He once said on @CollegeGameDay he was going to “Choke a Bitch”Sports Media is fascinating@DesmondHoward
— Zach Smith (@CoachZachSmith) December 12, 2021
Smith’s tweet appeared to be responding to Howard’s dig against the Buckeyes at the 2021 Heisman ceremony on December 11, which included Michigan representative Aidan Hutchinson and Ohio State representative C.J. Stroud.
Howard took the opportunity to take a shot at the Buckeyes’ offensive line, a jab some felt was out-of-line given that the ceremony was Stroud and Hutchinson’s time to shine, and should have been about celebrating the season rather than trash talk.
Aidan Hutchinson reminding CJ Stroud at the Heisman ceremony ?
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) December 12, 2021
Howard clapped back with a tweet referencing Smith’s legal troubles.
I see the court ordered anger management classes aren't working. https://t.co/5o8vvD3G7x
— Desmond Howard (@DesmondHoward) December 12, 2021
Smith was sentenced to serve 20 days in jail and to pay a $750 fine on February 7, 2020 after he was found guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor count of violation of a protection order.
He was originally ordered to serve 180 days in jail.
Smith was fired in 2018 by then-head coach Urban Meyer of the Buckeyes over criminal charges filed against him as well as other allegations involving domestic abuse between Smith and his ex-wife during their marriage.
Meyer faced scrutiny over his handling of the allegations. They included claims that the former Buckeyes boss ignored domestic violence complaints against Smith.
One Ohio State fan seemed to side with Smith in the comments below.
So what. @DesmondHoward still needs to understand context. That isn't the right forum for stupid "ribbing". You do that shyt off-camera. That moment should've been about the Heisman hopefuls, not his homer mindset. #GoBucks
— Jason B. (@pg_jbanks) December 13, 2021
Many Michigan supporters came to Howard’s defense, however, including the fan below.
Also the only player to ever win the Heisman and super bowl MVP. Enjoy! Why aren’t you coaching at Osu anymore?
— Robert G Leonard (@BobbyVortex) December 12, 2021
Who do you think came out on top in this dust-up between former Wolverines and Buckeyes?