© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ohio State beat Big Ten football rival Penn State in Columbus, 38-14. A suspicious conversation between Nittany Lions defender Chaz Coleman and a suspected Buckeyes’ staff member began circulating social media after the game.
Was Ohio State tampering? Was it simply a friendly talk amongst acquaintances? Here’s what we’ve gathered online.
The Buckeyes beat Penn State in Columbus over the weekend to improve to 8-0. The Nittany Lions fell to 3-5 in what’s been a disastrous year.
Penn State entered the season with national title hopes and a Top 5 ranking. They’ve fallen far from that pedestal in 2025.
The team is currently riding a five-game losing streak. Head coach James Franklin has already been fired. Much about the future in Happy Valley is uncertain.
Is it the perfect time to poach? Some believe Ohio State was doing just that.
A conversation involving Chaz Coleman sparked concern. Should Penn State be worried?
Ohio State football was accused of tampering.
Defensive end Chaz Coleman with a long solo walk off The Shoe after a solid showing.
One of the players Penn State wants to retain. Had a word with an Ohio State staff member before he entered the tunnel. pic.twitter.com/ggaW0lK6RK
— Chase Fisher (@chase_fisher4) November 1, 2025
Coleman was approached by someone decked out in Buckeyes gear while making his way to the locker room. The two spoke for a few moments before Coleman left the field.
A narrative was quickly formed that Ohio State was tampering, but was the conversation really an attempt to lure Coleman to Columbus?
Many that follow the Buckeyes refute the claims. Instead, they offer another scenario.
Adam King of 10TV in Ohio says the man talking with Coleman is not on staff. He has no affiliation to Ohio State recruiting of any sort, but he does have a relationship with Coleman’s family.
“College football is wild,” King wrote on X. “I’ve seen this posted multiple places saying it’s a sign of possible OSU tampering. This is a Redcoat (Usher), who was telling Chaz Coleman that he played football and was roommates with his uncle. He’s not on the football staff. It’s just a nice moment.”
Who is Chaz Coleman?
The speculation of tampering was largely sparked due to the Buckeyes’ initial pursuit of Coleman, a former four-star prospect who is a native of the state of Ohio.
The defender committed to Penn State on November 10th of 2024. Ohio State offered him 10 days later and tried to make a late push.
Coleman visited campus in Columbus at the end of that month but remained true to the Nittany Lions. He signed with the school in December and enrolled in May of this year.
As a freshman, he’s appeared in eight games, recording seven tackles and a sack.
His position on the depth chart, combined with his previous interest in Ohio State, sparked concern with Penn State’s football future unclear. After further review, however, it does not appear the Buckeyes were doing anything shady.