Buckeyes’ Young suspended for one more game

Ohio State star defensive lineman Chase Young will miss one more game for an NCAA rules violation before returning next week against Penn State, the Buckeyes announced Wednesday.

Young sat out last week’s game against Maryland and will miss Saturday’s game at Rutgers. He admitted last week that he accepted a loan last year from someone he described as a “family friend” but repaid it in full.

Although Young repaid the loan, it is still considered an extra benefit from the NCAA because Young didn’t meet the friend until after his recruitment to Ohio State had started.

“I want to thank and express my sincere gratitude to university staff members who worked so diligently and expertly to learn and understand the facts, and then to report these facts to the NCAA as part of our request to have Chase reinstated,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said in a prepared statement. “This is the example of the culture of compliance we have at Ohio State. I also want to commend Chase Young and let him know how proud we are of him. He took responsibility for his actions, cooperated throughout the process and understood and accepted that there would be consequences.”

Young reacted to the decision on Twitter, writing that he’s “blessed to be a part of this team, this university, and this community.”

Excited to be back on the field next week! Thank you Buckeye Nation for all the love and support. I’m blessed to be a part of this team, this university, and this community. Lots of love to my family. God Bless and Go Bucks!

— CY2 (@youngchase907) November 13, 2019

Ohio State had made a request for immediate reinstatement with the NCAA, including asking for a decision to be expedited. The NCAA completed its review of Young’s case Wednesday.

Young reportedly accepted the loan to help pay for his girlfriend to fly to watch Ohio State play in the Rose Bowl last year. The identity of the family friend has not been revealed.

Ohio State learned of the potential violation after Young’s standout performance against Wisconsin on Oct. 26.

Young has 13.5 sacks this season — just one-half sack shy of Ohio State’s single-season record. He had 4 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles against the Badgers, a performance that put him in the Heisman Trophy conversation.

Ohio State, which dropped to No. 2 in the latest CFP rankings, beat Maryland 73-14 without Young and enters the Rutgers game as a 50-point favorite. Young will return for next week’s home game against No. 9 Penn State. Ohio State finishes the regular season at No. 15 Michigan on Nov. 30.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Young at No. 1 on his Big Board for the 2020 NFL draft and lists the Buckeyes junior as his top defensive prospect.

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