Three B1G Things: Zack Baun's diluted sample, Jeff Okudah defends Damon Arnette & financial implications of losing CFB season

Three B1G Things is a daily weekday update on some of the most unique and interesting stories from across the B1G. It ranges from recruiting to coach press conferences, funny anecdotes to serious situations. We provide our commentary, analysis and opinions on a few topics every day.

Zack Baun tells all 32 teams about diluted sample

This isn’t the headline a potential first-round draft pick wants released with a little over a week until the NFL Draft begins. But, here we are.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Baun informed all 32 teams that he tested positive for a diluted sample during the NFL Scouting Combine, which occurred in late February and early March. The former Wisconsin linebacker blamed the positive test on drinking too much water in an effort to gain weight for a weigh-in during the combine.

Wisconsin’s Zach Baun, the third-rated linebacker on Mel Kiper Jr.’s board, notified all 32 teams that he testified positive for a diluted sample at the combine that he blamed on drinking too much water for weight-related weigh-in purposes, per league sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 14, 2020

While it could be a red flag for some teams, Schefter seemed to think it might not be quite as big of a deal as it would’ve been in the past. Under the terms of the new CBA, the positive test will not count as a “strike” against Baun, whereas it would have in previous years under the old CBA.

So, that’s the positive news for Baun. Still, having to make that call isn’t ideal considering the timing.

Based on most mock drafts, Baun is predicted to be a late-first or early-second round draft selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. We’ll see if this latest headline affects his status in a little over a week.

“Why is Damon Arnette not considered one of the top DBs?”

Jeff Okudah didn’t hold back when he had the opportunity to ask Mel Kiper Jr. one question during an interview on ESPN’s NFL Live this week. The former Buckeye wanted an explanation why his teammate was not considered one of the top defensive backs in the draft.

Kiper explained that he does believe Arnette is one of the top players at his position in this year’s draft class.

“He is, Jeff. He’s in the second round right now, there are some that think he could sneak into the late first,” Kiper said. “To play the way he did with the arm and still be out there making plays — he had a heck of a career. So, I had him going in Round 2 of this mock and he won’t have to wait too long, Friday, to hear his name called.”

While Kiper does not have Arnette projected as a first-round selection, going in the second round with the No. 46 overall pick to the Denver Broncos is still a favorable situation.

It was pretty cool to see Okudah show support for his teammate on national television, though.

P5 programs could lose more than $4 billion combined without CFB season

We already knew the financial situation for athletic departments would be catastrophic if the COVID-19 pandemic impeded on the college football season, forcing the NCAA to cancel the season. But when USA Today’s Steve Berkowitz put it into dollars and cents, it becomes even more real.

According to research done by Berkowitz, Power Five programs alone would lose an average of approximately $78 million. Combined, that would be a loss over more than $4 billion in operating revenue, based on fiscal reports from 2019. That’s on top of the lost revenue from the NCAA’s decision to cancel the annual men’s basketball tournament, as well.

So, if football isn’t played in some way, shape or form this year, there will be a number of sports programs and jobs that athletic departments will be forced to cut. It would completely reshape the world of college athletics.

We can hope that’s not something we have to worry about in a few months.