Quarterback Joe Burrow is leaving Ohio State as a graduate transfer and will play his final two college seasons elsewhere, he announced Tuesday.
Burrow made the announcement on Twitter:
After weeks of struggling with this decision, I have decided to leave Ohio State and explore other options. My teammates and coaches all know the love I feel for them. I will decide where I will play next year in the coming weeks.
â Joey Burrow (@Joe_Burrow10) May 8, 2018
Possible options for Burrow include LSU, Florida and Nebraska. Burrow's father, Jimmy, the defensive coordinator at Ohio University, played at Nebraska and later served as an assistant coach there.
Burrow graduated Sunday with a degree in family resource management. He had competed with Dwayne Haskins and Tate Martell for the starting job throughout spring practice, which concluded April 14.
Good luck to you brotha! Appreciate you for making me better, see you at the top ð https://t.co/aGUS8WpGE8
â Dwayne Haskins, Jrð¹ (@dh_simba7) May 8, 2018
Although coach Urban Meyer didn't declare a front-runner for the job, both he and Burrow admitted decisions would need to be made. After passing for 238 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game, Burrow made it clear he wanted a chance to play significantly this fall.
"I didn't come here to sit on the bench for four years," he told reporters in Columbus, "and I know I'm a pretty darn good quarterback. I want to play somewhere."
Haskins backed up J.T. Barrett last season and played well in relief of Barrett in Ohio State's win at Michigan.
"I love Joe Burrow," Meyer told ESPN's Marty Smith after the spring game. "He's a loyal soldier, and I think I owe him an answer. Our staff owes him an answer."
Burrow redshirted in 2015 and appeared in 11 games as a reserve in the past two seasons, passing for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He likely would have entered the 2017 season as Barrett's primary backup, but he broke his hand late in camp and underwent surgery.