ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale believes Ohio State pass rusher Chase Young is being treated unfairly by the NCAA after being forced to sit a game after taking money from a "family friend" last year.

Since CHASE YOUNG of Ohio State Football ? paid back loan from a family friend this should be a no brainer for ?NCAA ? / yes declare Chase eligible immediately / motto should be We want to HELP not HURT student athletes," Vitale tweeted early Saturday.

Ohio State announced an indefinite suspension for Young as the athletic department investigates “a possible NCAA issue from 2018.” According to Young, his ineligibility stems from a loan he took from a family friend last year which he paid back over the summer.

Young has turned himself into one of the best players in college football this season and was in serious consideration for the Heisman Trophy, despite being a defensive player. His 13.5 sacks lead the nation, one sack from setting a new Buckeye single-season record. He has more tackles in 2019 behind the line of scrimmage than he does beyond it.

While Young isn’t the player "the Scarlet and Gray absolutely couldn’t afford to lose — that title goes to quarterback Justin Fields" according to Bucknuts analyst Patrick Murphy, he is certainly a close second. When discussing the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, committee chair Rob Mullens mentioned Young's dominance to justify Ohio State’s top ranking.

Young released an official statement following Friday's news.

"Unfortunately, I won't be playing this week because of an NCAA eligibility issue," Young wrote in a note posted on social media. "I made a mistake last year by accepting a loan from a family friend I've known since the summer before my freshman year at OSU. I repaid it in full last summer and I'm working with the University and NCAA to get back on the field as soon as possible. I want to thank my family, teammates, coaches and the whole Ohio State community for all the support. God bless and go Bucks!"

The defensive end has recorded 29 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss, 13.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and one pass defended through eight games this season. Young is half a sack away from Ohio State's single-season sack record of 14 set by Vernon Gholston in 2007.

Here is the official statement from OSU: "Ohio State’s Chase Young will not play in this Saturday’s game between the Buckeyes and the Maryland Terrapins due to a possible NCAA issue from 2018 that the Department of Athletics is looking into."

The No. 1 Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) are favored by 44 points over the visiting Terrapins (3-6, 1-5) on Saturday (noon ET; FOX). The subject of national attention all season, Young is currently inside the Heisman Top 5 hoping to become the award's first defensive player to win since Charles Woodson.

Bucknuts247 analyst Pat Murphy contributed to this story.