The Wisconsin Badgers have more excitement surrounding their program going into a season than any other year of recent memory. Luke Fickell and his staff have created an atmosphere that is hard to dislike, even for his rivals. That being said, the 2023 schedule won’t be easy as the Badgers have a number of key match-ups that will test how good they truly are. One of those games includes Ohio State coming to town on October 28th. As it turns out, the Buckeyes will be without a four-star tight end this seasons.
Wisconsin Badgers 2023 Opponent Ohio State Buckeyes Lose Four-Star Bennett Christian For The Season
Bennett Christian will be ineligible to play this season. The redshirt freshman Ohio State tight end has been suspended for the entirety of the 2023 campaign after testing positive for a banned supplement in January. Per NCAA rules, Christian is ineligible to play for one year from the time of the test, which means he will not be allowed to play for the Buckeyes this season. Christian took to social media to address the suspension:
“I’d like to share the news today that I took a supplement that contained a banned substance and I will be ineligible to compete for the Buckeyes for the entire 2023 football season,” Christian said in a statement on Monday. “I tested positive this past January under NCAA testing protocols and I will not be eligible again until next January.
“I am sorry that I put myself in this position and even more disappointed to have let down my teammates, coaching staff and family. I accept responsibility for my actions and for this suspension. The Ohio State staff does an outstanding job educating us.
This could have been so easily avoided had I reached out to our training staff about the supplement and confirmed it was within policy. That will forever be a lesson learned and something all athletes should be aware of going forward.
“My goal this year is to be the absolute best teammate I can be, and to continue to support this program for which I am so grateful to be a part. I look forward to returning in 2024.”
How Will This Impact Ohio State During The 2023 Season?
Tight Ends Cade Stover, Joe Royer and Gee Scott Jr. expect to lead the tight end depth chart and Jelani Thurman also making a push for immediate playing time as a true freshman, Christian was not expected to play a major role this year. With Christian suspended, Ohio State now has five scholarship tight ends available for the 2023 season: Stover, Royer, Scott, Thurman and Sam Hart.
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