COLUMBUS – A couple of Ohio State’s star players made it clear they would not return next year, one of them blasting the coaching staff’s play-calling in the 3rd-ranked Buckeyes’ loss to No.9 Michigan State Saturday.
UPDATE: Ohio State fell to No. 8 in both major college football polls after the defeat. Iowa moved to No. 3 in both the coaches’ and media polls. Clemson and Alabama are No. 1 and No. 2. Notre Dame is fourth and Oklahoma is fifth.
Junior running back Ezekiel Elliott said he’s played his last home game for the Buckeyes, criticized his coaches and questioned why he carried the ball only 12 times in the 17-14 loss.
He said the staff, led by coach Urban Meyer, didn’t put the team in a position to win.
Meyer admitted he was “not content” with the way the offense was run and took the responsibility for an approach that was too conservative.
“I call a lot of plays anyways. So the finger will be pointed right here. And I have to do better,” he said.
“We didn’t…very conservative.”
Elliot said there was “no chance” he’d be coming back in 2016.
Quarterback Cardale Jones also suggested on Twitter that he would be leaving Ohio State at the end of the year.