LSU WR Chase opts out of season

LSU record-setting receiver Ja’Marr Chase announced his decision to opt out of the 2020 college season o and turn his attention to next spring’s NFL daft, when he is expected to be among the first several players taken overall.

“We are living in such an unprecedented time,” Chase said in a social media post Monday, alluding to the coronavirus pandemic that has surrounded this college football season in uncertainty. “After careful consideration and many emotional conversations with my family, I have come to a difficult decision.“

Chase was a first-team All-American and the Biletnikoff Award winner in 2019, when he set single-season Southeastern Conference records for yards receiving with 1,780 and touchdowns with 20.

A person familiar with the situation says defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin, who started 13 games last season, also has told coaches he will opt out. In other news:

• Facing a projected athletic department budget shortfall of $25 million because of COVID-19, Texas Tech announced significant job and salary cuts.

Tech will eliminate 40 athletic department jobs effective Sept. 30. The salary reductions will include all employees earning at least $30,000 per year with progressive decreases ranging from 3 to 14 percentbased on compensation.

The moves are expected to save about $4.49 million over upcoming fiscal year, Tech said.

• A court filing disclosed Monday shows Big Ten Conference presidents voted 11-3 to postpone the football season, bringing some clarity to a key question raised in a lawsuit brought by a group of Nebraska football players.

The vote breakdown was revealed in the Big Ten’s response to the lawsuit.

The court documents did not identify how each school voted, but a person familiar with the outcome told the Associated Press that Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio State voted against postponing the fall football season.