OSU hopes for NCAA ruling on Young this week
Ohio State is hopeful that it will receive a ruling from the NCAA in the eligibility case of defensive end Chase Young late next week, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Dispatch.
The case has not been submitted to the NCAA, but the university is expected to do so early next week.
If a ruling is reached next week, it could come before the Buckeyes visit Rutgers on Saturday. The length of the suspension Young might face is unknown.
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Any suspension longer than two games means that Young would miss the Buckeyes' final regular-season games, against Penn State on Nov. 23 and Michigan on Nov. 30.
After a 73-14 win over Maryland on Saturday, a school spokesman denied a report from ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit, a former quarterback for the Buckeyes, that said Ohio State expects Young to be handed a four-game suspension.
“We don’t have any expectations right now for the number of games that will be missed,” the spokesman said.
Ohio State can appeal a suspension issued by the NCAA.
The eligibility issue stems from an improper loan that Young said he accepted from a family friend he met in the summer before he enrolled at Ohio State as a freshman in 2017.
Young said in a statement released Friday that the loan was repaid.
A loan from a family friend can be considered an “extra benefit” under NCAA rules if it is given based on an athlete’s “athletics ability or reputation,” among other factors, according to the organization’s Division I Manual.
Ohio State opted to suspend Young for the Maryland game while it began investigating. It was tipped off about a potential NCAA violation after a win over Wisconsin in the Buckeyes' previous game, on Oct. 26, The Dispatch learned Friday.
While sitting out against Maryland, Young was not present with the team at Ohio Stadium.
In addition to his nation-leading 13.5 sacks through the first two months of the season, Young was also a vocal presence on the sideline with teammates, leading them through some pregame routines as one of the captains.
“He's taking it day to day, and he knows that he has the support of his teammates,” Day said. “He's going through a tough time. But adversity reveals character. And I can tell you right now he's a special young man that's handling his business the right way, and we're all proud of him.”
Although Young’s status remains up in the air, he practiced with the team this week and will practice with them next week, Day said.
jkaufman@dispatch.com
@joeyrkaufman