Ohio State center: CTE issue alarming for players

Billy Price says players must be educated about head trauma

Billy Price knows all about the recent study that showed CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in 111 of 112 brains donated by the families of former NFL players.

The Ohio State Buckeyes talk about themselves about the issue, said Price, a fifth-year center and co-captain.

“There’s an education level,” Price said Monday after Ohio State held its eighth practice of the preseason. “You must understand what you’re doing. I’m very particular about my head and my helmet, and I’m very particular about my knee braces. I tell my family I want to be able to run after my kid when I’m 27 or 28 and not be limping. The discovery of the CTE issue, that was very alarming.”

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Price will keep playing football, he said, because of three factors: the thrill, the potential for a lucrative career in the NFL and the opportunities associated with playing for a high-profile program like Ohio State.

“I think the thrill of the game itself is very attractive for a lot of people,” Price said. “Football puts you on a platform and gives you a lot of opportunities to be able to open doors.”

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While he’s playing, Price will do everything he can minimize the risk. He approves of the recent measures taken to reduce the number of hard hits.

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“The targeting penalty is very appropriate because there are some head hunters,” Price said. “They go out there and knock heads and they don’t care. Player safety needs to be at a premium. We need to protect ourselves. We are taught the right technique. We must do it every single time so when a guy walks around without a mouthpiece in practice, I just tell him, ‘You’re an idiot. You’re asking for it. A mouthpiece is here to help you.’”

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