The Ohio State University has paid $142,000 in legal fees to Crabbe, Brown and James LLP, a Columbus, Ohio-based law firm that is representing several athletes that have been under investigation by the NCAA, Alex Antonetz of The Lantern, the Buckeyes' student newspaper, reports.
According to the report, the payments are being made from Ohio State's Athletics Department's general operations fund, which are not funded by student fees. Additional resources for this use would be available from the Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund, which is funded by revenue generated from the NCAA basketball tournament. The university has not dipped into the Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund to pay for legal services for the athletes who were suspended for receiving compensation from booster Robert DiGeronimo for work that they did not do.
Last week, wide receiver DeVier Posey was suspended for five games. Previously suspended for five games to start the season due to "Tattoo-Gate", the senior will be limited to just two games this season. Sophomore offensive lineman Marcus Hall, junior defensive lineman Melvin Fellows and senior running back Daniel Herron were suspended for last week's game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Buckeyes lost to the Cornhuskers, 34-27 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
For more, visit Ohio State blog Along The Olentangy and Big Ten blog Off Tackle Empire.