Big Ten Football

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields reaffirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes, telling reporters on Wednesday he hasn't considered opting out of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bucknuts' Dave Biddle shared Fields' comments on the matter: 

"I really feel like people have different situations in whether they should opt out or not. Some people's families might not be as financially stable as others. Plus, me growing up as a kid, I've always been a competitor and I've always loved to play football. Me just growing up with my family, I never really needed anything. My family has provided me with everything I've needed.

"So, getting to money as fast as I can isn't really a priority for me. Just playing with my teammates and grinding every day with [strength] coach Mick [Marotti] during workouts and working on plays and stuff like that, that's what I'm cherishing the most right now. So, I'm just working with them and really looking forward to the season. I'm just trying to stay as optimistic as possible right now. But as far as opting out, I mean, I can see where those guys are coming from, but I never thought about opting out."

The original hope was that the United States would flatten the curve and bring its confirmed cases of COVID-19 down ahead of the fall, thus allowing for the start of a full football season. The opposite has transpired, with the pandemic surging throughout the summer.

Numerous universities have confirmed positive tests among their athletes as some returned to campus for workouts.

As a result, the fate of the 2020 season—at least staging football in the fall—looks to be far from a foregone conclusion.

Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley was the first notable player to opt out of the upcoming year.

Yahoo Sports' Eric Edholm reported Tuesday that Penn Star star linebacker Micah Parsons is opting out as well, while Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman confirmed his intention to follow Farley's lead:

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Parson and Bateman sixth and 17th, respectively, in his initial big board for the 2021 draft.

Losing Fields would obviously have been a huge blow for the Ohio State offense. The junior signal-caller seamlessly eased into the team in his first year, throwing for 3,273 yards, 41 touchdowns and three interceptions.

If Fields had decided to opt out, the Buckeyes would've had to turn to one of Kentucky graduate transfer Gunnar Hoak, C.J. Stroud or Jack Miller III.

Ohio State heads into 2020 with national championship ambitions having lost a nail-biter to Clemson in last season's College Football Playoff semifinals.

The team now knows its road to the playoff after the Big Ten released its conference-only schedule. The Buckeyes open against Illinois on Sept. 3.

Big Ten football players released a statement through the College Athlete Unity organization Wednesday seeking more comprehensive conversations with the NCAA and the conference about safety measures for the 2020 college football season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A 24-point plan, called the "Big Ten Unity Proposal," posted on The Players' Tribune seeks further oversight and transparency about the handling of COVID-19 after the conference announced the schedule and pandemic protocols for the upcoming season earlier Wednesday:

"While we appreciate the Big Ten's recently announced plan for the upcoming season, we believe that the conference's proposal falls short in certain areas. Given that the players are the primary stakeholders in the business of college sports, we believe any course of action moving forward needs to include player input. We are deeply disappointed with the lack of leadership demonstrated by the NCAA with respect to player safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that the NCAA must—on its own and through collaboration with the conference—devise a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety and well-being of players leading up to and during the upcoming fall season."

The statement took direct aim at the NCAA, which the players say has taken a "laissez-faire approach" by leaving major decisions about the 2020 season up to individual conferences.

"Given that the NCAA and conference leadership have not asked for our input, we feel compelled to call for clarity, commitment, and action regarding our common-sense proposal below," the statement read.

Among the requests by the players is a third-party group in charge of handling COVID-19 testing and enforcement of health and safety measures. In addition, it wants a mandate for members of the athletics department to report potential violations of protocols and whistleblower protections for those who do.

Players are also seeking a minimum of three weekly coronavirus tests, including one on the day of competition. The Big Ten proposal included two weekly tests for high-contact sports.

Players also want a wide range of assurances and protections, including a ban on liability waivers, a medical redshirt for players who miss time because of a positive test, coverage of medical expenses incurred because of COVID-19 and a preservation of scholarships if the season is ultimately canceled.

Pac-12 football players released a similar list of "unity demands" Monday on The Players' Tribune and threatened to boycott the 2020 season if concessions weren't made by the NCAA and the conference.

"We are united in our commitment to secure fair treatment for college athletes," their statement read. "Due to COVID-19 and other serious concerns, we will opt-out of Pac-12 fall camp and game participation unless the following demands are guaranteed in writing by our conference to protect and benefit both scholarship athletes and walk-ons."

Big Ten players didn't make reference to a potential boycott but urged a rapid increase in talks.

"We have started a dialogue in good faith with the Big Ten and hope that the NCAA will follow suit," they said. "Given the short time frame, and with our season at stake, this conversation must happen now."

The Big Ten schedule released Wednesday calls for practice to begin Friday with the start of the regular season—a 10-game, conference-only slate—set for Sept. 5.

The Big Ten announced its complete 10-game, conference-only schedule for the 2020 college football season Wednesday.

Week 1 will kick off Sept. 5, and the regular season runs through Nov. 21. The Big Ten Championship Game is set for Dec. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The Big Ten also provided a statement saying the schedule release "does not guarantee that competition will occur:"

"In making this announcement, the Conference acknowledges that there is much work to be done on our campuses, in our communities and across the country to gain control of a virus that continues to spread at an alarming rate. While the Conference remains hopeful for a September 2020 start in all fall sports, including football, issuing a schedule does not guarantee that competition will occur. While our strategy is to continue planning for all fall sports, if the virus continues to spread among our students despite our many preventative measures, including testing and quarantine protocols, we are also prepared to delay or cancel competition pursuant to local and state public health orders or the recommendations of our medical experts.

"As Commissioner Kevin Warren has consistently stated, our country is navigating unprecedented times and throughout all decisions, the health and safety of our students, student-athletes, and everyone associated with our Big Ten university communities remains our primary focus as we work with our institutions to provide a healthy and productive learning environment that includes intercollegiate athletic competition."

The conference confirmed football practices may begin Friday and noted the schedule was created to "maximize flexibility," with two open dates per team and a uniform bye in Week 12 to accommodate potential postponements. In addition, games may be "collapsed into bye weeks."

COVID-19 testing will occur at least twice per week for student-athletes involved in high-contact sports like football. Players can also opt out of the 2020 season without losing their scholarship or their standing at their respective school.

 Warren said: 

"Developing consistent medical protocols and testing procedures for the health and safety of our student-athletes and our athletic programs is critical. Our Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and local, state, and national experts have provided guidelines throughout our decision-making process with our student athletes' health and safety as our first and foremost concern."

The other Power Five conferences have also decided on their plans for the 2020 season. The Pac-12 and SEC are utilizing conference-only schedules, while the Big 12 and ACC will allow a single slot for nonconference opponents. The ACC is set for 11 games while the others will play 10.

Caesars Palace lists Ohio State as the prohibitive favorite (-175) to win the Big Ten title, and the Buckeyes are also one of the top national championship contenders.

One of college football's brightest stars is reportedly opting out of the 2020 college football season.

Penn State junior linebacker Micah Parsons, whom some analysts consider as a top-10 2021 NFL draft prospect, will not be playing for the Nittany Lions this year, per Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports:

"Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is expected to opt out of the 2020 college football season and declare for the 2021 NFL draft, sources told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday night.

"Parsons is expected to make the decision official Wednesday morning. Penn State had a team meeting Tuesday night, and multiple people close to the program are expecting him to leave barring a last-minute change of heart."

Parsons was a consensus All-American last year with 109 tackles, five sacks, five pass deflections and four forced fumbles during his true sophomore season. Penn State finished 11-2 overall and ended the year with a Cotton Bowl victory over Memphis.

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report ranked Parsons sixth on his early 2021 NFL draft big board.

Pro Football Focus notably has the off-ball linebacker ranked as its top defender in the 2021 draft prospect class.

Parsons isn't the only college football star to have opted out of playing, as Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman did so as well.

Amid his announcement, the All-Big Ten first-teamer and AP Third Team All-America member also declared for the 2021 NFL draft. Parsons hasn't declared for the 2021 NFL draft or announced his intentions officially as of yet.

Penn State will now have to figure out a backup plan in lieu of losing Parsons. Charlie Katshir was listed as Parsons' backup on the spring depth chart, per Will Pegler of Onward State.

Katshir, who is entering his redshirt sophomore season, appeared in all 12 games and amassed five tackles and a forced fumble in limited action.

The Nittany Lions' season is scheduled to begin Sept. 5 against Northwestern to kick off an adjusted conference-only slate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of Rutgers football players who have tested positive for COVID-19 rose to 28 on Tuesday, per a report from Keith Sargeant of NJ Advance Media. That number is in addition to multiple staff members.

A total of 15 players tested positive for COVID-19 between mid-June, when members of the team returned to campus for voluntary workouts, and July 29, per Sargeant.

As of early July, only four players had tested positive, but a spike occurred late in the month. Per Sargeant, New Jersey State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli blamed the Scarlet Knights' rise in COVID-19 cases on a party that Rutgers athletes attended in July.

Rutgers shut down workouts on July 25 and moved the team to an on-campus dorm for quarantine, per Sargeant. Players are undergoing tests every two days and receiving food from coaches and staff.

Some players have experienced symptoms related to COVID-19, while others are asymptomatic.

Rutgers is scheduled to begin a Big Ten conference-only slate on Sept. 5 against Nebraska. Head coach Greg Schiano has returned to coach the team after leading the Scarlet Knights from 2001 to 2011, going 68-67 with five bowl wins.

Conferences and individual schools across the United States have either moved to league-only slates or postponed football in 2020 entirely amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in over 4.62 million confirmed cases and 154,000 deaths in the United States, per the World Health Organization on Tuesday. A total of 47,183 cases were confirmed Tuesday.

Division I-FBS is looking to forge ahead with a season, and many teams returned to campus for voluntary workouts in June.

However, some schools have reported outbreaks among teams, with Clemson announcing on June 26 that 37 Tigers had tested positive, per Matt Connolly of The State.

Maryland, Ohio State and North Carolina all paused workouts (among other schools) but have since resumed.

The Division I-FBS slate is scheduled to begin Saturday, August 29 with six games, including 2020 College Football Playoff participant Oklahoma hosting Missouri State.

University of Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman announced Tuesday he's opting out of the 2020 college football season because of the "uncertainty around health and safety in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Bateman, a 2019 First Team All-Big Ten selection for the Golden Gophers, also declared for the 2021 NFL draft.

The Georgia native recorded 60 receptions for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns for Minnesota last season. It came on the heels of an instant-impact freshman campaign that saw him register 51 catches for 704 yards and six scores.

His 17 receiving TDs over the past two seasons tied for 22nd in the country, per Sports Reference.

Bateman, a 4-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting class, told Chad Graff of The Athletic in November it wasn't until Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck showed interest that other major offers rolled in.

"It kind of felt disrespectful," he said. "Minnesota offered me and then people saw that and were like, 'OK, now we can offer him.' So I was just real with who was real with me first."

Now Bateman's focus shifts to the NFL.

In May, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked him as the No. 17 overall prospect on his early big board for next year's draft.

"At 6'2" and 210 pounds, the true junior has the production to intrigue NFL scouts and the athleticism to propel him into the first round of the draft," Miller wrote. "Scouts who worked on the Gophers' 2020 draft class are already buzzing about Bateman's ability to set up and beat cornerbacks with agile moves and fluid routes."

Meanwhile, the Big Ten announced in July it will utilize a conference-only schedule if fall sports are given the green light to play amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Gophers' first game is scheduled for Sept. 18 when they're slated to host the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Debbie Rucker, the mother of Indiana freshman offensive lineman Brady Feeney, provided a harrowing update on her son's health after he tested positive for COVID-19. 

Sam Blum of the Dallas Morning News shared the Facebook post:

Rucker explained "this virus hit my son very hard compared to most of his teammates." She said he went to the emergency room with breathing problems and is now "dealing with possible heart issues."

Rucker pleaded for others to take COVID-19 seriously and take the necessary steps to prevent the spread of the virus, including wearing a mask and social distancing, adding "football does not really matter when your child's health is in jeopardy."

Tom Brew of Sports Illustrated noted the Indiana athletic department has not provided specific names of players who tested positive for COVID-19 but has released overall numbers of positive test results approximately every week.

The most recent update said 33 of 480 tests came back positive.

Indiana paused voluntary workouts for a week but has since resumed them for those healthy enough to participate.

Rucker did not blame Indiana for her son's condition, saying "his university has done everything right by shutting down workouts and retesting the whole team." 

Feeney arrived at Indiana as a 3-star recruit as part of the 2020 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

There reportedly may not be Big Ten football this fall.   

According to Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated, the league has "advised" schools that there still might not be a football season during the fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Forde noted the Big Ten plans on making a decision on whether it will start typical preseason camp within the next five days, adding "but with testing protocols in place that is the expectation."

He called it a "fluid situation."

The reality of college football is there is more than just a centralized body running the sport.

Unlike professional leagues with commissioners like the NBA, NHL, MLS and MLB, there is a collection of conferences with their own schedules and teams to account for amid such a turbulent time.

On Thursday, the SEC announced it will play just conference games with a 10-game schedule that begins on Sept. 26. On Wednesday, the ACC announced a 10-plus-one model with 10 conference games and one nonconference game for each team.

The Pac-12 and Big Ten already announced they will play just conference games if the season happens, which eliminated marquee nonconference games such as Ohio State facing Oregon and Michigan playing Washington.

As for the Big Ten, Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune reported the league is hoping for a nine- or 10-game season with just conference games starting Sept. 5. What's more, there may be three to five open dates for each team in case they have to quarantine for 10 or more days in the case of a COVID-19 outbreak.

Such a plan may also front-load schedules with divisional contests, such as Ohio State against Michigan in the East and Wisconsin against Iowa in the West, because there is less travel involved in such contests.

That is, of course, if there is a season. Given Forde's report, that is far from guaranteed this fall.

A former University of Michigan student and football play-by-play announcer alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday that legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler knew team doctor Robert Anderson used his position to sexually abuse his patients. 

According to ESPN's Dan Murphy, the person who filed the lawsuit is being identified as John Doe EB-17. In the lawsuit he filed against the University of Michigan, the plaintiff said he called football games for the school in the early 1980s and told Schembechler twice that Anderson sexually abused him during an appointment to treat severe headaches.

Schembechler, who died in 2006, coached the Wolverines for 21 seasons from 1969-1989, going 194-48-5 and leading them to 13 conference championships.

Per Murphy, hundreds of former patients, including former University of Michigan athletes, have come forward this year and said that they were sexually abused by Anderson, who died in 2008. Among the allegations are that Anderson "put his finger in their rectums for nonmedical reasons, fondled or masturbated their genitals, and made an array of inappropriate sexual comments."

Over 100 people who said that they were sexually abused by Anderson have filed lawsuits against the University of Michigan for failing to stop the abuse despite the fact that "at least 10 university employees" allegedly were told about it.

With regard to Schembechler, Doe said Schembechler told him to notify then-athletic director Don Canham of the abuse, but Canham allegedly took no action. Canham died in 2005.

Doe said: "I cannot blame Bo for not being able to come forward. ... This was Don Canham's job."

Bo Schembechler's son, Glenn Schembechler, said he is "certain" nobody ever told his father about Anderson's alleged sexual abuse, adding: "If Bo wanted to get rid of someone, he would have."

Anderson worked as a physician in the University of Michigan athletic department until 2003.

Schembechler, who was a six-time Big Ten Coach of the Year and won multiple other awards during his 27 years as a college football coach, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993. 

Fifteen Rutgers football players tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the entire team into a two-week quarantine period. 

Keith Sargeant of NJ.com reported the outbreak may be tied to several players attending a party. 

"There's been an outbreak of Rutgers football players, with 15 of them currently testing positive," New Jersey State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said. "These examples that we shared today account for 125 new cases of COVID-19 in our state. Every single one of those cases has the potential to infect other people. Their grandparents, parents, siblings, friends, loved ones, and if any of one of them have underlying conditions ... the result could be fatal."

Rutgers indefinitely halted player workouts Saturday as positive tests began rolling in. The school is the fifth among Big Ten schools (Michigan State, Ohio State, Maryland and Indiana) to have to stop workouts because of a COVID-19 outbreak.

The Big Ten has already canceled its entire non-conference slate, with hopes of playing a conference-only schedule in 2020. Conference commissioner Kevin Warren acknowledged the conference may not be able to hold a season earlier this month. 

"This is not a fait accompli that we're going to have sports in the fall," Warren said on Big Ten Network. "We may not have sports in the fall. We may not have a college football season in the Big Ten.

"We just wanted to make sure this was the next logical step to try and rely on our medical experts to keep our student-athletes at the center of all of our decisions and make sure they are as healthy as they can possibly be from a mental, physical and emotional wellness standpoint."

The NCAA has maintained it will not play fall sports unless it is deemed safe for students to be on campus. Many campuses are set to welcome back students in the coming weeks, though a large number are also offering online-only learning options. Some are only offering online learning for the fall semester.

Conferences also have to navigate difficult waters because they do not consider student-athletes employees. There are clear optics issues in having unpaid laborers on the field to preserve billions in revenue, none of which currently goes directly to the players, during a nationwide pandemic.