It's not clear specifically what caused the sudden departure, but pressure had been building in recent weeks. The Columbus Dispatch reported earlier this month that Doug Archie, head of compliance at Ohio State, is investigating at least 50 car sales to athletes and their relatives at two dealerships. Last week, former Tressel player Ray Small (FSY) told the school newspaper "everybody" on the football team broke NCAA rules and that he sold Big Ten championship rings.
On Friday, Rife was charged with money laundering and drug trafficking.
Late Monday, Sports Illustrated posted a story on its website saying the memorabilia-for-tattoos violations began as early as 2002, Tressel's second season, and involved at least 28 players. Those numbers include, beyond six players already suspended, an additional nine current players as well as nine former players whose alleged wrongdoing might fall within the NCAA four-year statute of limitations on violations.
One former Buckeye, defensive end Robert Rose, whose career ended in 2009, told SI that he had swapped memorabilia for tattoos and that "at least 20 others" on the team had done so as well.