Ohio State won't join SEC, other conferences for fall season
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day appeared on ESPN Monday to publicly plead with Big Ten administrators that every option be explored to get his players on the field this season.
One option that won't be explored, after the Big Ten's fall sports season was postponed Tuesday, is Ohio State joining another conference in order to play.
"That's not realistic," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told Lettermen Row and other media members outside of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center Tuesday. "We've been a member of the Big Ten for a long time, we share the same values as our member institutions."
But Ohio State's devotion to the conference goes deeper than simply sharing the same principles, Smith said.
"We have a contract that we are obligated to with our television partners, so that's not happening. We're moving to –– mentally we've shifted –– and we're looking at the spring as an option," Smith said.
Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has been one outspoken critic of a potential spring season in recent months, citing health concerns for players who would need to take the field again in the fall.
Meyer doubled down on his thoughts regarding the possibility of spring ball on the Big Ten Network Tuesday, but Smith said he and Day are more open to the idea now that it is a last resort to salvage a season.
"Up until today, it was not an option to me relative to my mindset, but Ryan and I did spend some time talking about the possibilities, and I'm embracing it," Smith said. "I'm trying to come up with a strategy for the spring and I think it's more realistic for me today than it was yesterday, or even this morning, because I want to give our kids a chance to play.
Despite taking a positive approach to planning a potential spring season, Smith still referred to the Big Ten's decision as a "battle" that he lost.
However, Smith said he has another one to fight as he engages Ohio State coaches of all fall sports in discussions to strategize a possible spring return.
"I'm disappointed we had to make this decision as early as we did, but I respect our medical people, I respect the guidance of our leadership and we'll move forward," Smith said.