The recent encounters between Ohio State and Akron have not been the most memorable.
Since 2001, Ohio State has beaten Akron four times, and the Buckeyes have outscored the Zips 149-23 in those wins, including a 59-7 victory by OSU in 2021.
But former Ohio State linebacker K’Vaughan Pope made OSU’s recent game against Akron a memorable one after he was escorted off the field in the second quarter and dismissed from the program a day later.
Ohio State opens the 2024 season on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against Akron at Ohio Stadium. OSU-Akron will be televised on CBS.
Here’s what you need to know about Pope ahead of Ohio State’s next meeting with Akron.
K’Vaughan Pope is a former 4-star recruit
Pope was part of Ohio State University’s second-ranked recruiting class of 2018, which finished first behind Georgia.
Pope committed to Ohio State as a four-star inside linebacker on August 4, 2017, while holding offers from programs such as Alabama, Clemson and Georgia.
The Dinwiddie, Virginia native was the 217th overall player and 9th inside linebacker in the country in the 2018 class.
K’Vaughan Pope left Ohio State during the 2021 Akron win
During Ohio State’s 59-7 victory over Akron on September 18, 2021, Pope was involved in a heated exchange with OSU coaches and teammates on the sidelines in the second quarter and was escorted to the locker room. As he was being escorted to the locker room, Pope removed his gloves and threw them into the stands at Ohio Stadium.
Shortly after leaving the game, Pope posted a rant against Ohio State on social media, as well as another tweet that read, “Good (luck) to my teammates.” Both were later deleted.
Pope was dismissed from the program on Sept. 19. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said in a statement that Pope will continue to receive a scholarship and be able to use various student-athlete support services for the remainder of the fall semester.
Pope released an apology on Sunday after his firing.
“Last night I let my emotions get the better of me,” he wrote. “For that I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and Buckeye Nation. I made a mistake and I know I need to be better and do better. I will use this time to reflect and work on my mental wellbeing.”
Pope finished his career at Ohio State with 19 tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss in four years.
K’Vaughan Pope had a career year at Tennessee State in 2022
Pope transferred to Tennessee State in April 2022 and immediately made an impression on head coach Eddie George.
Pope was a second-team All-Ohio Valley Conference linebacker and a member of the OVC All-Newcomer team. He had 62 tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups and one forced fumble.
K’Vaughan Pope will be on the roster of a college football team in 2024
Pope is expected to transfer from Tennessee State in August 2023.
Pope is on the Virginia State football team’s roster for the 2024 season, the program confirmed Wednesday.
