Former Ohio State OL Zach Slagle Found Dead Following Apparent Suicide

A truly awful tragedy has struck the Ohio State University family. On Thursday, morning, former Buckeyes offensive lineman Zach Slagle lost his life in what was subsequently reported as a suicide.

A graduate of Canton, Ohio's McKinley High School and a walk-on at OSU from 2006 to 2008, Slagle posted what appeared to be a suicide note on Facebook in the early hours of Thursday morning that makes a clear reference to CTE.

Jake Ballard, a college teammate of Slagle's in Columbus, has created a GoFundMe to help raise money for his family in the wake of this incredible loss. As he wrote on the page:

Zach was a worker.  His summer before enrolling at Ohio State, he worked tirelessly doing four jobs in an effort to save up for his tuition.  Once he arrived at OSU, he was a very valuable member of the team and his toughness was very evident.  His selflessness and grit helped the team go undefeated in the regular season, and he received his first of 3 pairs of gold pants for beating the University of Michigan.  

Zach was selfless as a teammate and friend and endeared himself to anyone who knew him. He was always the guy that everyone liked to see and be around. Zach was a fun loving person with a heart of gold.

Our thoughts are with the Slagle family at this most difficult of times.