Shaun Wade Opts out
Interesting how he is opting out right after optimism started stirring for a re vote. Maybe he is sick of the back and forth. Can't blame him.
September 14th, 2020 at 8:53 AM ^
Maybe that Oct restart isn't as solid as reported yesterday...
September 14th, 2020 at 9:07 AM ^
Agreed, I think Day may have told him that October isn’t happening. He would likely know at this point based on the plans being discussed.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:44 AM ^
It is also possible that he doesn't want to risk injury in a shortened season when the NFL draft is around the corner. Especially if that shortened season starts so late that OSU can't make the playoffs per the rules.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:48 AM ^
Exactly the point! You just made my case for me. If they start in October, they can be in the playoff. If not, they can’t. So to me, the opt out hints that October is unlikely.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:13 AM ^
Two OSU players in a week? Some people were dogging Michigan players for opting out when OSU players weren't. The mantra was OSU wanted it more and the fact that M players were opting out was a reason they were beating us. Let's see the narrative now.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:25 AM ^
Unfortunately the narrative is they still have more talent than us.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:25 AM ^
I’d also like to hear the narrative from the “all players and coaches want to play” crowd. It’s clear that quite a few players, even in the ACC/SEC/Big12 do not want to play for safety reasons. Guess they should all go hide in their basements right?
Ive mentioned this previously, but very few football players were at the Michigan protest last week. It likely indicates that quite a few players support the B1G’s decision and are concerned about playing in a pandemic.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:47 AM ^
Why does it have to be one or the other? Why can't it just simply be that some are concerned and they should have every ability and right to sit and and others who want to play should also have the ability to do so?
It feels like we are being polarizing for the sake of being polarizing at this point. I'm not sure if it's because we are just bored or not.
If I was a morbidly obese lineman I'd probably sit out or if I was going to be a top draft pick I'd sit. I don't care what anyone says this year is going to have the feel of a scrimmage at this point so why play? But...give all these consenting adults the choice.
It does seem like most do want to play but certainly not all. Also, these guys are still practicing and if I was a top draft pick why even jerk around with this. Stay healthy and get yourself ready for the draft.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:54 AM ^
Well, players don’t get a choice when they are injured. They don’t get a choice on basically anything now that I think of it.
You think Saban gives his players choices? That’s funny.
Listen, I only brought it up because the narrative has been that they all want to play. I think that’s BS.
Why weren’t the players at the protest if they want to play? They’re all on campus. Doesn’t make any sense to me. Would love an explanation.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:10 AM ^
There were about 20 players at the protest. I spoke with the parents of one (who I have known from my college days) and the vast majority of the players want to play.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:17 AM ^
20 out of 100+ showed up, and one parent claims that the vast majority want to play. I don’t buy it.
I mean, their head coach was even there! And yet 80+ players stayed home. It’s more telling than your source, no offense.
The players who support the decision to cancel are likely to keep it to themselves for obvious reasons, but their actions (skipping the protest) speak loudly IMO.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:48 AM ^
You are wrong. Harbaugh was there.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:59 AM ^
What? That’s what he/she said....
September 14th, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
LOL wut? Try reading my comment again blue eyes.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:17 AM ^
My bad. Misread your post.
I will fall on my sword.
September 14th, 2020 at 12:20 PM ^
They could’ve been playing video games, napping, engaging in extra curricular stuff etc. Many kids are not of a mind to protest.
September 14th, 2020 at 12:20 PM ^
They could’ve been playing video games, napping, engaging in extra curricular stuff etc. Many kids are not of a mind to protest.
September 14th, 2020 at 1:07 PM ^
Just because the majority of the players chose not to attend the protest doesn't mean you can infer they are against playing. Maybe they felt they had more important things to do, wanted to do classwork, did workouts instead, who knows.
September 14th, 2020 at 1:59 PM ^
Just because they are football players doesn't mean you can infer they are FOR playing. It works both ways, you see. My point was that there is a decent chance that a proportion of the players support the B1G's decision. I stand by that.
Everyone just assumes they all want to play, but if they are as upset as many posters on this site, I'm surprised they didn't attend the protest.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:45 AM ^
When they had the protest here at OSU , players and students was not aloud to attend due to the COVID .
September 14th, 2020 at 11:37 AM ^
"players and students was not aloud to attend"
This is the most OSU comment ever.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:52 AM ^
I am not from the "all players and coaches want to play" crowd but Wade's decision does not appear to be because he had safety concerns over covid but has everything to do with preparing for the draft...
"Wade told reporters he did not regret returning for another year at Ohio State and was not planning on opting out of a fall college football season. After the Big Ten opted to postpone the season, though, Wade's father Randy said his son would not play if the season started any later than October."
I only saw the one photo of the Michigan protest, can anyone confirm how many players actually attended? I do agree with you that if only a very small % showed up for that, it's a decent indicator of who wants to play.
September 14th, 2020 at 11:09 AM ^
I think this should make the NFL reevaluate when players can leave college. It shows so many just want to be in the NFL rather than college. Shouldn't be 3 years, maybe move it down to two.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:59 AM ^
Because OSU owns us right now, unfortunately the narrative is that whatever OSU does differently than us is clearly the reason they are better than us
If OSU appears to 'care more' then we lose because they want it more
If Harbaugh appeared to care more, he'd be accused of making the players play up tight and OSU wins because they can play 'fast and loose'
September 14th, 2020 at 9:52 AM ^
Even if it was, there's no guarantee (from what I can see) that the Big Ten will be done in time for the CFP to possibly select a team from the conference to go. So even if October ball is on the table, Wade might be sitting there and saying its not worth possibly only getting to play for a conference title if the CFP isn't going to wait around for the Big Ten.
Not that the CFP should. The Big Ten made its bed when it decided to shut the season down. For better or worse, they're sleeping in it. So I don't blame Wade. OSU is the only program in the conference that can have players who justifiably sit there and say "getting to play only for a conference title is not good enough for me."
September 14th, 2020 at 9:58 AM ^
If they start in October the CFP doesn’t have to wait. Literally the entire push behind the October start is to qualify for the CFP. The B1G is 100% eligible to participate if they start in mid-October.
So this timing is indeed odd. Either he never wanted to play this year due to COVID or October is off the table. Hard to draw many other logical conclusions from this.
September 14th, 2020 at 8:54 AM ^
Wasn't his dad leading the charge to play? Kinda weird if we are truly close to starting in october.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:56 AM ^
Judging from the article, it looks like they had a timetable for a return, if they passed it, he was going to declare for the draft.
September 14th, 2020 at 8:55 AM ^
Maybe he never really wanted to play a goofy season, but figured there was no reason to opt out so long as it didn’t seem there was going to be a season?
September 14th, 2020 at 8:58 AM ^
In the article it says his dad didn't want to play a season unless they had a chance at competing for a championship. I guess they think that the late start will prevent the BIG 10 or PAC 12 from being able to compete in a playoffs.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:05 AM ^
I wonder if Day just told the players that October is off the table. Timing is strange otherwise.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:07 AM ^
This makes the most sense to me. I think we have gotten our hopes up...in fairness due to “reports”. But still, I fear this is the way to read things.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:12 AM ^
It wouldn't shock me as there are twice as many cases now than three months ago. I think we will continue to hear rumors about the B1G that never come to fruition and that it's going to be very tough to piece together a season for those that are trying.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:37 AM ^
Why would Day say that before the vote? It could only hurt him.
It could be true, but things have been changing fast in the last week. I don't think anyone knows for sure what the Big Ten is going to do.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:00 AM ^
I don't think the B1G knows what they are going to do at this point, much less anyone else. If they are voting, and that is a huge IF, they may have given the coaches what the return plan and timetable would look like. I am guessing that is what Day communicated to Wade and what they are basing their decision on.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:02 AM ^
I’m saying that they’re not even voting on October. Maybe that ship sailed, and that is why Day told him.
It’s possible that the vote today is for a November or January start. We shall see.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:12 AM ^
In the article it says his dad didn't want to play a season unless they had a chance at competing for a championship.
Man, I remember those days. :(
September 14th, 2020 at 9:29 AM ^
I don’t even remember them anymore.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:00 AM ^
Why play anyways when you're guaranteed to be a first round draft pick?
September 14th, 2020 at 10:04 AM ^
Wade isn't guaranteed first round.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:13 AM ^
Trevor Lawrence is playing. Justin Fields is one of the biggest boosters for playing. Both are top first round players with a lot to lose.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:44 AM ^
Not really. Tuna was injured for Bama last year and was still pick #5 to Miami. If you're good, you'll get picked.
No, I'm not fixing it.
September 14th, 2020 at 10:58 AM ^
Please don't fix it. I want this to be a thing now. Tuna tagovailoa...
September 14th, 2020 at 11:33 AM ^
You missed the chance for Tuna was the #5 pick to the Phins*
September 14th, 2020 at 11:02 AM ^
A lot to lose? Please explain.
Both are highly regarded and their ratings are backed up by a sufficient amount of film.
September 14th, 2020 at 1:28 PM ^
Justin Fields wants to win a Heisman Trophy and National Championship and go down as a legend for OSU.
Plenty of reasons to play.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:02 AM ^
Good for him
September 14th, 2020 at 9:04 AM ^
Hahaha this is hilarious. Maybe his dad should fly to Columbus to protest his son opting out? #MakeHimPlay am I right?
I just hope he posts of photo of his plane ticket again!
September 14th, 2020 at 9:07 AM ^
Sick of the back and forth?
His father was the most prominent parent demanding that the Big Ten reconsider. He led the protest at Big Ten offices. He is getting what he demanded and abandoning his cause days before the Big Ten announces their decision.
If we're guessing, I'll go with he's not taking any classes. OSU starts early and it's too late to re-enroll.
September 14th, 2020 at 9:14 AM ^
Article said he already got his degree in Sport Industry, he could work on Masters if he wanted to.