The image was everywhere. For most, it was all they saw of Ohio State's home win over Cincinnati.
We're referring, of course, to the sight of Buckeyes strength coach Anthony Schlegel tackling a fan who ran onto the field at the Horseshoe last Saturday. As it turns out, the viral story was far from over.
21-year-old Anthony J. Wunder was the student who found himself laid out on the turf last week, but he is now finding out the consequences of his actions. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the OSU student pled not guilty to a criminal-trespassing charge on Monday and is set to have a jury trial in the matter.
To make matters even worse, he's also in danger of losing his scholarship.
Wunder's attorney told the paper that the Evans Scholars program, a nonprofit organization that supports former golf caddies, has revoked his full-ride scholarship and kicked him out of the house near campus that he was living in as part of the program. The mechanical-engineering student is reportedly still enrolled in school with another year left until he is scheduled to graduate.
However, a statement released by the Western Golf Association/Evans Scholars Foundation indicates that Wunder is merely suspended from Evans Scholars activities pending while the organization further investigates the incident.
"We are disappointed in Mr. Wunder's actions. He has been suspended from all Evans Scholars activities but remains on scholarship pending the outcome of our internal investigation of this incident," said the statement.
Head coach Urban Meyer told reporters at a press conference earlier this week that he spoke with Schlegel, a former Buckeyes linebacker, about the incident.
"I appreciated him protecting our players," Meyer said. "[But] I'd rather him not have a lawsuit if something bad would happen, you drill a guy like that. So we had a partial-serious conversation. And we also gave him a 'Hit City' award, our team, and had a little fun with it, too."
Per the court complaint that the paper obtained, Wunder was not intoxicated when he ran onto the field. He was booked into the local county jail and posted a $79 bond on Sunday to be released. The paper notes that in Ohio, criminal trespassing is a fourth-degree misdemeanor and Wunder faces no more than 30 days in jail if he's convicted.
Wunder likely had the thrill of a lifetime running onto the field last Saturday at the Horseshoe. As it was made clear afterward, however, now he's facing the challenge of his young adult lifetime as a result of his actions.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
