Randy Wade, whose son Shaun is a defensive back who was named an Ohio State captain before the season was put on hold last week, intends to fly from his home in Florida to the Chicago area for a meeting with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren.
See ya "Early Friday Morning" We gotta Fight and we can't let these young men FIGHT ALONE.... ALL BIG TEN FANS STAND UP.... pic.twitter.com/qjbaQVcRSX
— Randy L Wade💯%🐐 f@❌ℹLy..... (@gslsff) August 18, 2020
He told ESPN and BuckeyeScoop.com he hopes to be joined by other Big Ten parents, who have already been among groups from multiple schools to send letters to the conference office asking for more information on why the season was postponed to the spring last week.
“I couldn't wait to get everything organized first," Wade told BuckeyeScoop, “but by me just jumping out there and saying I bought my plane ticket, I'm hoping some other parents will buy their plane ticket or drive out there and let's get out there the first thing in the morning when the sunlight comes up and let's be out there and let's have a peaceful movement to try to get them to do something and try to talk to somebody."
This comes one week after the Big Ten announced its decision to postpone fall sports amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Warren appeared on the conference’s TV network after the announcement but offered few specifics about why the decision was made, and little more information has been available since.
Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour added to the confusion Monday when she told reporters on a video conference it is unclear if conference presidents and chancellors actually held a vote as part of the decision.
“Nobody’s ever told me there was,” she said, per PennLive.com. “I just don’t know whether there actually was a vote by the chancellors and presidents.”
Shaun Wade could have entered the 2020 NFL Draft but chose to return to try to bolster his stock.
Like Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, he could still be a high draft pick next spring even if he does not play another down of college football, but Randy Wade said the efforts to get the fall season reinstated are about more than that.
“Shaun is straight," Randy Wade told BuckeyeScoop. “He's got an opportunity to be a first rounder, but what about those guys that they need this season?" Wade said. “For [Warren] to just cut it down that short, I just think he just could have waited a little bit because things are changing by the by the week, by the day, by the minute. Things are changing.
“People tell me you never ever — when you get to the NFL, the NFL is not like college football. The enjoyment, the camaraderie. It's a business, the NFL. So, you cherish those college days. So, I know how close we can be to trying to make this work and make it safe. Ohio State has already been doing a great job. I just want to make sure we gave it our all."
At this time, it is unclear if Warren will be available to meet with Wade or anyone else Friday.
Barbour also indicated the conference is preparing a plan for a spring football season, and the details of that plan could be released soon.
Even if there is a spring season, NFL prospects such as Fields and Shaun Wade are widely expected to opt out to prepare for the draft unless the NFL alters its normal league calendar.
Already some star players announced they would not play this fall, including Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman.
Fields began a petition Sunday demanding the Big Ten fall season be reinstated.
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