Buckeyes deal with latest news

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

College football players often have to struggle with the monotony of a long season. At Ohio State, they’ve also had to fight against continual NCAA allegations and suspensions.

Buckeyes center Mike Brewster, during preparations for Saturday’s game at No. 14 Nebraska, said he and his teammates weren’t shaken by the latest body blow — two players thought to be returning to the team this week had their suspensions lengthened because they were overpaid for summer jobs.

“We’ve gone through so much, at this point it’s kind of like ... just keep going, keep going, keep going,” he said.

Lots of teams talk about distractions, but for the Buckeyes those have come about as frequently as sunrises.

First, several players were suspended last December for accepting cash and free or discount tattoos from a man at the center of a federal drug-trafficking probe in exchange for Ohio State memorabilia. Then it was revealed that coach Jim Tressel knew about the players’ involvement with the man, a tattoo-parlor owner, and didn’t tell anyone. He was forced to resign. Shortly after that, quarterback Terrelle Pryor left with NCAA investigators on his tail because of improper benefits.

There have been numerous other questions about the team since. But this was supposed to be a week for good news.

The four remaining players on suspension in the cash-for-Buckeyes gear case were supposed to return to the team this week after sitting out the first five games. Instead, the team was called together on Monday afternoon and interim coach Luke Fickell broke the news that two of the four — top tailback Daniel Herron and leading returning receiver DeVier Posey — are still suspended for being overpaid for summer work.

On top of all of that, the Buckeyes have looked miserable in two losses in their first five games. The latest one, a 10-7 defeat in the Big Ten opener at home against Michigan State on Saturday, was the result of an historically bad day by the offense.

No one can gauge how much the off-the-field black eyes are affecting the Buckeyes on the field.

Fickell was asked how the players reacted when he told them about the two new suspensions — which followed about 10 others— over the past 10 months.

“When we walked out of the room, they were down but hey, next morning, next play, next time — that’s the motto we have got to have,” he said. “We go out there [for practice], there won’t be a head down and there won’t be anybody whining.”