The world of college football just never sits still. Players jump to new schools all the time—maybe a coach leaves, maybe they want more playing time, or maybe they just need a change of scenery.
Ohio State usually keeps its stars, but even they see some departures. This season, 15 former Buckeyes suited up somewhere else and wrapped up the regular season with their new teams.
Let’s take a look at how these ex-Ohio State players fared in their final regular-season games. If you want the full breakdown, check out the original article.
Mitchell Melton at Virginia
Mitchell Melton landed at Virginia and made some noise this year. In their last game, Virginia clinched an ACC Championship berth by beating Virginia Tech 27-7.
Melton chipped in with a tackle and two quarterback pressures. Not a bad way to finish the regular season.
Hero Kanu at Texas
Hero Kanu helped Texas hand Texas A&M their first loss of the season. He finished with two tackles and a sack in the 27-17 win.
He’s really showing what he can do on defense.
Joe Royer, Evan Pryor, and Patrick Gurd at Cincinnati
Joe Royer, Evan Pryor, and Patrick Gurd all suit up for Cincinnati now. The Bearcats dropped their last game to TCU, 45-23.
Royer caught all three targets for 45 yards. Pryor ran three times for eight yards, caught two passes for 26 yards, and scored a touchdown. Gurd played 12 snaps but didn’t see any passes come his way.
Dallan Hayden at Colorado
Colorado wrapped up their season with a 24-14 loss to Kansas State. Dallan Hayden stood out, rushing for 66 yards on 15 carries.
He was a rare bright spot for the Buffaloes.
Anthony Venneri at UCF
UCF fell to BYU 41-21, but Anthony Venneri had a good day punting. He booted three punts for an average of 44.3 yards, including a long of 58.
Chip Trayanum at Toledo
Chip Trayanum closed out the year strong for Toledo. He ran for 94 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in a 21-3 win over Central Michigan.
Jayden Ballard at Wisconsin
Jayden Ballard, now at Wisconsin, didn’t have much to do in his last game. He wasn’t targeted once as Wisconsin lost 17-7 to Minnesota.
Gabe Powers at Kansas State
Gabe Powers made a real impact for Kansas State in their 24-14 win over Colorado. He led the defense, notching three tackles and a quarterback hurry.
Noah Rogers at North Carolina State
Noah Rogers helped North Carolina State beat North Carolina 42-19. He caught two of his four targets for 30 yards.
Ryan Turner at Purdue
Purdue got blown out by Indiana, 56-3, but Ryan Turner still managed two tackles in just nine snaps.
Zen Michalski at Indiana
Zen Michalski started at right tackle for Indiana in their big win over Purdue. He played 34 snaps.
Reid Carrico at West Virginia
Reid Carrico stayed busy for West Virginia, racking up seven tackles and two quarterback pressures. Unfortunately, the team lost 49-0 to Texas Tech.
Other Notable Transfers
Plenty of other former Buckeyes are out there making their own mark:
- Morrow Evans – Long snapper, UCLA
- George Fitzpatrick – Offensive Tackle, Kansas State
- Kojo Antwi – Wide Receiver, Colorado State
- Jayden Bonsu – Linebacker, Pittsburgh (out for season with injury)
- Miles Walker – Offensive Lineman, Boise State
- Devin Brown – Quarterback, Cal
- Air Noland – Quarterback, South Carolina
- Calvin Simpson-Hunt – Cornerback, Baylor
Coaching Changes Impact
Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, Brian Hartline, just accepted the head coaching job at South Florida. It’s a move that feels a lot like when Tom Herman left back in 2014.
The timing’s tough, with Signing Day right around the corner. Still, Hartline plans to stick with the Buckeyes through the end of the season, which should help keep recruiting steady for now.
If you want more details on how these players performed or just want to dig deeper, check out the full article on 247Sports.
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