Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Spoke with Gene Smith, Still Hopeful for Buckeyes Football
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has been at the forefront of fighting the CoVID-19 since the outbreak first became public knowledge back in March. The governor is also a big Buckeye fan, as he's had season-tickets for Ohio State football games for many years. He was asked at his Tuesday press conference if he still thinks Ohio State can and should be able to play football this fall, and whether or not the Big Ten made the right decision in postponing the start of the season.
"Well, I don't know whether they made the right call or not," DeWine said. "But I certainly think there is a decent chance of there being a season in football for the Big Ten, for Ohio State, which is what we're really concerned about. I talked to (Ohio State athletic director) Gene Smith about that issue earlier today. I am not going to disclose our conversation, other than I inquired about it. He told me that it's still in play. It's still very much a possibility.
"But as you know, it's no secret, (Ohio State president) Dr. (Kristina) Johnson's position and Ohio State's position was to play. I concurred in that. And look, the key is always going to be how it's done. And as I have told some people, I don't know if I've said publicly or not, but athletes at Ohio State, with their capability of testing very, very, very frequently, could potentially be the safest people there with a couple things coming together.
"One, very, very close-in-time testing. And two, a really strong ethic to stay safe. To be able to play football. It's sort of the same thing we're hoping for and counting on for other students, not just Ohio State but across the state. That their desire to be there -- to be on campus, to be able to participate in school -- will be the thing that holds them back from doing the partying. When it's a weekend night and someone invites you over and it sounds like a great idea.
"So, we hope that push to have a year on campus, a year at Ohio State, a year at Miami, or UD, or Wittenberg, or wherever, will be a motivating factor for all of the students. And for the athletes, it's all of that plus being able to play a sport that they love very, very much.
"So, we'll see. I don't know what is going to happen in regard to the Buckeyes. But I do know that it is still very much in play."
At the end of the day, the decision to return to fall sports lies in the hands of the university presidents and chancellors. The show of support from state legislation is nice, but will it be enough to help persuade the schools to get back on the field?
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