Buckeyes stand with Carnell Tate after losing his mother

INDIANAPOLIS — Since the news first broke of the drive-by shooting death of the mother of Ohio State true freshman wide receiver Carnell Tate back on July 16 in Chicago, his coaches and teammates have offered support.

“First I want to say I want to send my condolences and prayers to his family,” Ohio State star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. said Wednesday during Big Ten Media Days. “Carnell is a very strong individual. I don’t know how he’s even been able to come to practice, come in with a smile on his face, have a good time.

“I’m sure he’s going through so much right now, I can’t even imagine. I have so much respect for him and how he’s managed and handled his business. But he’s doing great and we just try the best we can to be there for him.”

Ashley Griggs, 40, was on a sidewalk in west Chicago in the wee hours of that morning and was among several struck by the unknown shooter. She was the only one killed.

“I got the call at 6 a.m. about Ashley, and that was not easy for anybody, certainly for Carnell,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said Wednesday. “He and his mom were very close. And when you lose somebody you’re close to like that it just takes the rug out from underneath you, and I know that happened to Carnell.”

Tate, part of the Buckeyes’ 2023 recruiting class, attended IMG Academy in Florida and was an early enrollee at OSU in January, making a name for himself quickly due to his work ethic and his play in spring drills. The team has leaned in for him during the days since the shooting, Day and Harrison said, and will continue to do so.

“He does have a team that is here to support him, we’re all kind of surrounding him and trying to help the best you can,” Day said. “He’s a pretty private person as well.

“Part of the process when you’re in that situation, and we’ve had guys who have gone through similar situations, is you have to go through a process of grieving. We talked about that, and, again, that’s not easy.

“I think football has allowed him a distraction to kind of get his mind off of it when he’s not in his room or back in Chicago.”