Former Buckeye Denzel Ward Expresses Empathy For Players Lost Year

Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward feels bad for the Ohio State football players who will not get a season in 2020. The former Ohio State all-American told Cleveland's Fox 8 how bad he feels for his old teammates who are caught up in the Big Ten canceling football in 2020.

“It upsets me, but I know it upsets those guys a lot more,” Ward said. “They are out there trying to prove themselves. If they have dreams of playing in the NFL and taking it to the next level. They wanted to show themselves this year, play with their guys and be out there on the field and making plays. I know that is real difficult for those guys.”

Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith says the Buckeyes won't play elsewhere this fall and that the team will prepare for a spring season, but Ryan Day's saying that would have to happen in January or the school would end up in a recruiting disadvantage.

Would Justin Fields risk being a high draft pick to play a Big Ten schedule in January? A betting man would say that's highly unlikely, but Ryan Day's staying positive that something can be salvaged out of the 2020-21 season and that includes Fields playing his final games at Ohio State.

Fields has published one tweet since it was announced that the Big Ten was canceling and that was the final answer. His tweet: "smh."