Starting Ohio State linebacker Storm Klein has been dismissed from the team after being arrested on misdemeanor charges of domestic violence and assault.
“The charges filed against Storm Klein violate the core values of the Ohio State Football Program,” Buckeye coach Urban Meyer said in a statement. “As a result, Storm has been removed from the team.
"It has been made very clear that this type of charge will result in dismissal. If there are any changes in the charges, we will re-evaluate his status.”
The 21-year-old Klein was arrested at his Columbus apartment late Friday night. (Here's a screenshot of the court summary.) He pleaded not guilty to both charges at his arraignment Saturday morning.
Per local TV station NBC4, court records show Klein was arrested after an argument between himself and a female complainant allegedly became physical. Klein is accused of throwing the complainant into a door and causing injuries to her arms.
Klein spent the night in jail and was represented by a public defender at Franklin County Municipal Court. Klein was ordered to stay away from the unnamed complainant, not to consume alcohol or drugs and not be caught possessing firearms, per his bond conditions.
Klein, a senior, started 10 games last year at middle linebacker, finishing ninth on the team with 45 total tackles, but appeared to lose ground this spring under the new coaching staff; on the initial post-spring depth chart, he was listed as a backup at the Mike position behind touted sophomore Curtis Grant.
Last month, coach Urban Meyer suspended another pair of veterans, senior tight end Jake Stoneburner and junior offensive lineman Jack Mewhort, and temporarily removed both from their scholarships after they allegedly ran from police when spotted urinating outside a local restaurant. Stoneburner and Mewhort were both charged with obstructing official business, a misdemeanor. Both are expected back in full standing this fall.
In 2005, Klein's father was acquitted of misdemeanor domestic violence when a jury ruled he had the right to spank his son, then 13, with a wooden paddle for drinking alcohol.
Information from the Sports Xchange contributed to this report.