NCAA looks 'weak' in handling of Chase Young situation, one ESPN analyst says

Emmanuel Acho isn’t too impressed with the NCAA right now. Then again, who is impressed with the organization?

The latest criticism thrown at the NCAA has been in the handling of the Chase Young situation, with the Ohio State defensive end being punished with a two-game suspension for accepting money from a family friend to buy his girlfriend a plane ticket to attend the Rose Bowl in January. Young repaid the amount in full.

Once the situation was brought to the attention of the NCAA, there was speculation that Young may have to serve a four-game suspension, meaning the remainder of the regular season. That punishment was knocked down to two games, meaning Young will be back on the field in two Saturdays against Penn State.

Acho said the NCAA is “weak” for handling the situation how it did.

“The NCAA, you look weak,” Acho said on ESPN’s Get Up!. “Figure out what you want to do. If you’re going to suspend him for four games, which is utterly ridiculous, or you’re not going to suspend him at all. But then you go out and suspend him for four, then realize it’s an idiotic decision. Backdoor the decision, retract it and then try to suspend him for two games, two meaningless games? The NCAA, they look weak. Figure out what you’re going to stand for. Right now, they don’t stand for anything.”

It’s not the first time the NCAA has caught criticism for its decision-making, and it probably won’t be the last.

The NCAA’s decision on Young was announced on Wednesday. His two-game suspension will be against Maryland (last week) and Rutgers (Saturday). Young has racked up 13.5 sacks, 29 tackles and forced five fumbles in eight games this season.

Ohio State looks to improve to 10-0 this season before a tough two-game stretch against Penn State and Michigan to finish the regular season.