Ohio State Players Back Ryan Day, School's Efforts to Create Healthy Environment
As the days go by, the numbers have piled up.
Some of college football’s finest players have opted-out of this upcoming season. Luckily for Ohio State, that number remains at zero.
Players across the country have concerns about playing games in less than four weeks with a pandemic that seems far from over. Conference-rival Penn State had their star defensive player, Micah Parsons, opt-out of the 2020 season in preparation for the 2021 NFL Draft. Purdue star Rondale Moore, Minnesota star Rashod Bateman and Maryland quarterback Josh Jackson are other headliners that have opted out this fall.
Meanwhile, the face of the Ohio State program, Justin Fields, has given his commitment to play this year. Buckeye head coach Ryan Day hasn’t put any pressure on his players to believe it's mandated for them to play.
“I talked to the team yesterday [Aug. 5] and made sure they understood if they have concerns and opt out, that we are gonna have conversations,” Day said. “At the end of the day, if their family doesn’t feel comfortable, that doesn’t mean they aren’t a part of the program.”
Meanwhile, several Ohio State players penned a letter on Friday backing the university's efforts and stating that the #BigTenUnited movement isn't reflective of their feelings.
"We appreciate that the #BigTenUnited letter was intended to protect and voice concerns of Big Ten Student-Athletes," the letter said in part. "However, we do not think it represents the efforts and actions of Ohio State adequately. While there are plenty of questions to be answered and plans to be made in order to compete this fall, we believe that our safety has been at the forefront of our institution's efforts for return to play models."
“The communication has been very, very strong. Certainly, guys on the team have shared their concerns and thoughts with me,” Day said Thursday. “Hats are off to the medical people. They are working around the clock. They have done a wonderful job getting together with Gene Smith to put together the safest environment possible for our team.”
In addition to team doctors and Athletic Director Gene Smith creating their own game plan, Day also said the infectious disease experts on campus have played a critical role in developing a strategy to keep the players safe.
Although the Buckeyes are confident they are doing all the right things, there is no guarantee they will be able to do enough to ensure there is a season. However, the program has made strides to protect the team, thanks in part to the learning curve that has come with the challenge.
“Along the way, there are things that we’ve learned and we’ve adapted. We are going to continue to learn and continue to adapt,” Day said. “They feel safe and strong about what we’re doing. But, everything changes on a daily basis. We’ll have to continue to adapt and continue to communicate.”
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