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Ohio State loses a top linebacker recruit
yahoo sports
COLUMBUS- An Ohio State recruit has told the Buckeyes he will not
attend the university, according to several published reports, amid
concern that a convicted sex offender had interactions with players and
recruits associated with the program.
Alex Anzalone, one of the nation’s top linebacker recruits, committed
to Ohio State last month in what was turning out to be a stellar class
for new coach Urban Meyer.
But Anzalone, of Wyomissing, Pa., will reopen his recruiting process,
after being contacted by Charles Eric Waugh, 31, of Ashland, Ky. In
2008, Waugh pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of underage
sexual content. And this year, across Twitter, he contacted several
Ohio State coaches athletes, and even recruits, including Anzalone. He
also posed for photos with some of them.
Dr. Sal Anzalone, Alex’s father, told the Reading (Pa.) Eagle late
Friday that ‘’something is just not right at Ohio State. It’s not for
him.’’
As news spread of Anzalone’s decision, and of Waugh’s past, the school
put out a statement on Friday night.
‘’The issue surrounding the individual from Kentucky is being treated
by the Department of Athletics as a student-athlete welfare issue. When
the University became aware that this individual had been seen in
pictures - taken in public places - with student-athletes, proactive
precautions were taken and the Department of Athletics alerted more
than 1,000 Ohio State student-athletes about this person,’’ the
statement said.
‘’The email message also reminded them of the negative implications
that can be realized through simple associations on social networking
sites. This individual is not associated with Ohio State. He is not a
booster. He has not engaged in any activities on behalf of the
University. The Department of Athletics will continue to monitor this
issue and it will remain proactive in its efforts with regard to
precautions for its student-athletes.’’
Anzalone visited Columbus last month during spring game weekend. While
there, he and other potential recruits posed for a photo with Waugh,
who later posted it on Twitter.
‘’You don’t want your son to go to a place where there’s a potential
issue,’’ Sal Anzalone told the Eagle. ‘’You expect the staff to have
some sort of control on how things are handled with recruits when they
visit. This is ridiculous.
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