At long last, Reggie Bush has his 2005 Heisman Trophy back after the Heisman Trust announced the reinstatement on Wednesday.
While it may have been years too late, the news should be a big step in the NCAA forgiving programs and players for any punishments that came from players profiting off of their name, image, and likeness.
Ohio State has an argument to be made that they should be getting some wins back, perhaps even a whole season.
The end of the Jim Tressell era for the Buckeyes came following multiple players selling memorabilia for cash and tattoos. In today’s world that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, the biggest of players are basically earning six-figure checks in some places just to show up. The NCAA made the Buckeyes vacate the 2010 season where they went 12-1 and defeated Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.
Additionally, Ohio State lost a few scholarships, was put on probation, and had to return money from the bowl game win. In Urban Meyer’s first season with Ohio State, the Buckeyes finished 12-0 but were held out of the bowl games due to another part of the punishment.
All in all, the Buckeyes gave up at least 24 wins and a chance at a national championship in 2012. It was all over approximately $14,000 and some tattoos. In today’s college football landscape, $14,000 is less than a weekly paycheck for the biggest of stars in college.
Back then it was just players at Ohio State who weren’t earning big NIL checks, looking to use their local fame to profit off of. At the time, it was illegal and the punishments handed down still seemed like a lot.
It seems as if the NCAA needs to make their reigned and make things right with many programs and former players. NIL should have been a thing long ago, but it would have held some money from the pockets of the NCAA, so it took a bit longer. Now, we just wait and see if Bush getting his Heisman back opens up any more doors.
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