Legend Bey’s signing day flip from Ohio State to Tennessee appears not to have been his own choice.
At his signing ceremony at North Forney (Texas) High School on Wednesday, the four-star running back/wide receiver sat at a table adorned with Ohio State gear and told Ishmael Johnson of the Dallas Morning News that he was signing with the Buckeyes despite offensive coordinator Brian Hartline’s departure for USF.
Legend Bey still #GoBucks, even with the Brian Hartline hiring at USF.
— Ishmael Johnson (@IshmaelRJohnson) December 3, 2025
Thats my guy, when asked about Ryan Day. @LegendBey7 https://t.co/KqJ1IKobPq pic.twitter.com/YjhhfpxknN
Just a couple of hours later, Bey signed with Tennessee, the school he was originally committed to before flipping to Ohio State in November. Since then, however, multiple reports from national recruiting writers as well as posts from Bey’s own social media accounts have cast doubt on whether Bey actually wants to be a Volunteer.
In a since-deleted tweet Thursday afternoon, Bey tweeted that he “was just recently logged out of my IG and probably will be logged out of this Account as well by my older brother who has access to my account because, i won’t sign to the school him and my mother wants.”
Before that, Bey sent out another since-deleted tweet featuring a graphic that depicted him standing arm in arm with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and running backs coach Carlos Locklyn with the caption, “We Have Your Back.”
lol anyone else see this tweet? since been deleted pic.twitter.com/dpx7QbAOXb
— ttwfo. (@cseem20) December 4, 2025
According to Rivals’ Keegan Pope, “sources close to the situation have cast doubt about whether it was Bey or someone else who signed the paperwork that was ultimately sent to Tennessee.”
Because Bey is currently only 17, he needed a parent or guardian’s signature to submit his financial aid agreement. Bey turns 18 on Dec. 24, however, and could seek a release from his agreement with the Volunteers at that time. Bey also has the option of entering the transfer portal when it opens in January.
247Sports’ Mike Roach reported that Bey was “unhappy” with the decision to sign with Tennessee and that he would seek a path to be released from Tennessee and end up at Ohio State. According to Roach, Tennessee “would not be opposed” to releasing Bey from his signing agreement due to the way his recruitment played out.
Roach reported that Bey “arrived at school Wednesday ready to sign with Ohio State, but family pressure from his mother was pushing him toward Tennessee.”
Bey, who played quarterback at North Forney High School but was expected to play running back at Ohio State with the possibility of also playing wide receiver, is ranked as the No. 175 overall prospect in the 2026 class. If he eventually ends up at Ohio State, he’d become the 27th member of the Buckeyes’ 2026 class, joining 26 players who signed on Wednesday and Thursday. That total does not include five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., who remains unsigned amid rumors that he will flip to Oregon.
