The cancellation of a second game on Ohio State’s eight-week Big Ten schedule has brought about questions regarding two different conference protocols, including the six-game minimum for Big Ten championship eligibility, and the 21-day mandatory absence for players who have tested positive.
Following the cancellation of Ohio State’s matchup with Maryland on Nov. 11, head coach Ryan Day said he was confident the Big Ten would revisit the minimum game rule if teams could not meet the requirement.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, however, said Saturday during a press conference with the media that looking to change either rule is not high on his list of priorities.
“No, the conversations have not occurred,” Smith said. “I understand that question and understand that people are thinking about that, but that’s not where we are.”
Day was one of several members of the Ohio State program to test positive this week, which was officially announced on Friday afternoon despite no official numbers being released.
Defensive line coach Larry Johnson was to replace Day on the sidelines at Illinois if the game ended up being played, but after the results of an additional round of PCR tests found more positive tests in the program on Friday evening, the decision was made to cancel the game altogether.
Team activities have now been put on pause at Ohio State, and the team will need to play both of the final two games on its schedule in order to play the six games required to be eligible for the Big Ten title game.
“My concern today is making sure our players get fed. Making sure if they need a sports psychologist help, they get that. I get the question. I'm very sensitive to that. But that’s not where we are,” Smith said. “I mean we made a decision late last night to do what we did, so a lot of things occurred late last night. So that last thing on my mind was [trying to change the rules].
RELATED: Ohio State-Illinois canceled as Buckeyes pause team activities
The Big Ten’s mandated 21-day absence for players, the strictest regulation among Power Five football conferences, includes a 10-day isolation period before players are screened for myocarditis and are subsequently allowed the time to ramp back up to the fitness level required for competition.
Dr. Jim Borchers, Ohio State’s team physician, said Saturday that the program crossed a 7.5-percent threshold for positivity rate on Friday night, which means that at least 13 members of Ohio State’s 170 “tier-1” staff and players have tested positive. However, that number is unconfirmed by Borchers and program officials.
No specific names of players that have tested positive will be given by the program, and Smith and Borchers both asked that their privacy be respected during this time.
Smith did not completely close the door on the possibility of a dialogue with the Big Ten about modifying its regulations down the line, though.
“Might that come up later at some point? No question. But right now, I haven’t even thought about it,” Smith said. “I want to make sure Ryan’s got what he needs, and I want to make sure the young men that have tested positive have what they need and I want to continue to talk to our doctors and others about whatever enhanced protocols we move forward with to give them a chance to possibly play Michigan State.”
Day said all Ohio State would need is a full practice on Thursday and a team walkthrough on Friday to feel comfortable playing a game against Michigan State next Saturday, but if positive tests continue to climb in the program, that will likely not be a possibility.
