Flip Alert: Legend Bey’s Bizarre Story

The Ohio State Buckeyes entered the mix for Bey late in the process. After visiting Columbus for the Buckeyes’ Nov. 1 matchup with the Penn State Nittany Lions, he flipped his commitment just nine days later. Over the following weeks, his social media was filled with Ohio State graphics and messages showing strong enthusiasm for joining Ryan Day’s program.

Early National Signing Day

Heading into Early National Signing Day, Bey was widely expected to sign with Ohio State. Hours before he was set to sign, Ohio State offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline accepted the head coaching job at the University of South Florida. The move rattled several Buckeye commits and suddenly placed uncertainty around Bey’s decision.

Around 2 p.m., Bey flipped back to Tennessee. At first, the assumption was that Hartline’s departure pushed him away, but the story quickly became far more complicated.

Reports emerged that Bey, who is only 17 years old, was pressured by his mother and other family members to sign with Tennessee. Since he is not yet 18, a parent or guardian must approve his letter of intent for the commitment to be valid. Multiple insiders said his family pressured him for 48 hours to choose Tennessee, even though he preferred to sign with Ohio State.

The scene at his signing ceremony added to the confusion. Bey’s table was covered in Ohio State decorations, photos, and cupcakes. Before signing, he was asked whether or not he was still signing with Ohio State. He responded, “That’s my guy,” referring to Day.

After surprisingly flipping back to Tennessee, Bey gave a polished answer, calling it a “family decision” and saying it was the right fit. The situation was far from settled though.

The Aftermath

On Thursday morning, Bey posted (and later deleted) a graphic of himself with Day and Ohio State running backs coach Carlos Locklyn that read, “We Have Your Back.” The graphic also included the hashtags “Gobucks” and “Lockboyz”, along with a Buckeye emoji.

Bay also tweeted:

Some believe Bey’s account was hacked, while others think it was a direct plea from him.

Shortly after this, a Tennessee commitment graphic appeared on Bey’s Instagram profile. Some believe his family may have taken control of his social media accounts to post it, though that has not been confirmed. The post has since been deleted.

Bey was also seen commenting on a fan’s TikTok video of his situation, saying, “Unfortunately it’s true, But I would like for everyone to give my mom the upmost respect. I turn 18 in 20 Days so it most likely will be Gobucks”.

247Sports’ Mike Roach reported that Tennessee “would not be opposed” to releasing Bey from his signing agreement, given how the situation unfolded. Rivals’ Keegan Pope added that “sources close to the situation have cast doubt about whether it was Bey or someone else who actually signed the paperwork sent to Tennessee.”

Roach further reported that Bey “arrived at school Wednesday ready to sign with Ohio State, but family pressure from his mother pushed him toward Tennessee.”

Bey turns 18 on Dec. 24, which will give him full control over his commitment. His status with Tennessee remains unclear because some reports indicate he has already signed, while others say no paperwork has been finalized. Once he turns 18, he could attempt to void any letter of intent. He also has the option to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2.

End Of My Legend Bey Rant

As of Friday morning, Bey seems to have signed with the Volunteers and is locked in for the next month unless Tennessee opts to release him from his letter of intent.