Regardless of the rain, wind, etc. conditions Ohio State fans and players alike are baffled at the lack of aggression in the play-calling down the stretch. Heisman candidate and superstar back Ezekiel Elliot has already blown some steam off and announced he’s going pro within minutes of losing the game.

Elliot finished the game with less than 40 rushing yards and is out:

Ezekiel Elliott said he will not be returning to OSU next year.

— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) November 22, 2015

Elliott: "We weren't put in position to win this game." Said he lobbied Meyer on sideline for calls and did not get them.

— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) November 22, 2015

Elliott: "I think I do deserve more than 11 carries. … I don't know what was going on."

— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) November 22, 2015

There are a lot of NFL teams that can use him. No one is disappointed in this decision outside of Colombus, Ohio.

And then there was Cardale Jones delivering this bomb on twitter:

Last time walking down them steps and into The Shoe, wish the results were different tho pic.twitter.com/BalXhHTOS7

— Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) November 22, 2015

Looks like someone else won’t be back next year.

So Pryor has to lobby the NFL or sit at home for a year right? Problem solved?

*Puts on stupid mascot head*

NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!

According to Yahoo!, Pryor has been permanently banned from contact with the University for the next five years and would have been declared ineligible by Ohio State had he stayed in school.

Ohio Statesaid in a letter to Pryor’s attorney Larry James today that the former quarterback has been “completely disassociated” with the program and would not have been reinstated to the team after his five-game suspension.

Source: Yahoo

This actually helps Pryors case.  The fact that his school was planning to ban him behind the scenes is an unforeseen circumstance if I have ever heard of one.

I know it hurts to be the “fall guy”, but it’s time for Terrelle to focus on the next phase of his career.  Maybe five years of not talking or thinking about Ohio State won’t be so bad.

PFT reports:

Look for Rosenhaus, a relentless marketer and promoter of his clients, to immediately begin touting Terrelle’s potential value as a quarterback, with repeated public comparisons of Pryor to Cam Newton, the first overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Very interesting as this article infers that Pryor could potentially be picked as a receiver but of course the money is in Quarterbacking and Drew likes his fair share of the dinero. I predict Pryor to be selected by the Washington Redskins as a developmental Quarterback/WR.

Anyways, you can read some of my past rants on the NCAA’s unfair system for more on that.  I’m tired of repeating myself by now.

But Mr. Pryor has a few options to consider that will shape the immediate future of his playing career:

1. Transfer to a Bowl Championship Subdivison (formerly Division II) team and wait for the 2012 draft.

If Pryor does this then he is immediately eligible to play where ever he decides to enroll.  Doing this gives him another season to work on his skills, and possibly even win a National Title.  Remember the Bowl Championship Subdivision playoffs are televised on ESPN.  If he can get back on the right side of the mainstream media through his play, the sky is the limit for where he could ultimately go in the 2012 NFL Draft.

2. Enter the 2011 NFL Supplemental Draft

This is an option as well.  The Ohio State University has released a statement saying that Pryor will be fully eligible to be drafted in this draft, so that is an immediate option for him.  The only problem being in that is that the NFL is currently locked out so whatever team that drafts him won’t be able to communicate with him until the CBA is done (I’m predicting first week September).  A young QB needs all the time he can get with his coaches.  For the immediate future this isn’t a really good option.

3. Sign with the UFL or CFL as a College Free Agent

This is another option, play professional football in one of the “minor” leagues until the NFL gets it’s act together.  This ultimately would put Pryor in full control of his NFL future on and off the field.  Play well, and you will have multiple NFL teams offering you contracts of which you get to pick the best system and fit for your skill set.  It all comes down to how confident Pryor is that he can do enough in those leagues to demand a high signing bonus.

What do I think he should do?  I’d say go to a NCAA Championship Subdivision team.  Don’t take any gifts, just be a kid for a year.  Enjoy college, play ball, try to win a title and worry about the NFL Draft next year.

However, I believe Pryor just may be too “Hollywood as Hell” (shout out Joakim Noah) to stay in school and work on himself, and will opt to go into the supplemental draft ASAP.

What we are forgetting is that five other players were named with Pryor in the tattoo scandal.  And on top of everything, the BCS named those five players ineligible but allowed them to play in a bowl game in order to save television ratings.  But no, no up-to-the-minute coverage of what those five players are doing.  No shots of them driving their cars around.  Nope!

I hope that everyone attacking this young man is happy.  Pryor’s career is now in uncertainly with no NFL.  I just hope that the cameras and the spotlights can move off of Pryor now that he is a FORMER student athlete now. What’s done is done, and the University clearly was not as ignorant to the NCAA violations as they are pretending to be.  The NCAA will ultimately drop the last boot in the Ohio State saga in due time.

Instead, ESPN has set their sights to ending the collegiate career of one Mr. Terrelle Pryor.  Here is what was reported (link):

Pryor later traded in his Sonata for a Dodge Charger, acquiring it, according to Kniffin, through a dealership near his hometown of Jeannette. “His dealer always seemed to have a better price than me,” Kniffin said.

Still, Pryor kept turning to Kniffin for cars, or at least loaner cars. He test-drove a Dodge Challenger worth close to $20,000 before that deal was nixed, Kniffin said, by Ohio State officials. “They wouldn’t let him drive it because it was too high-profile,” he said.

Kniffin said Pryor never ended up buying a car from him.

At least one of the dealerships has dozens of autographed jerseys hanging up inside its offices. Pryor said, at the time, that he doesn’t remember signing his jersey that hangs in the dealership.

Here we go again with the worldwide sports leader assassinating the career of another student athlete over something as petty as cars.  My thing is yes, it is the coaches faults for not reporting what they knew to the NCAA but when it comes to the players getting to drive cars and eat free meals I DO NOT CARE.  These guys don’t get one red cent from the billion dollar empire they help build for 2-4 years of their lives.  If an athlete wants a free pizza, or to loan a Denali Truck from a dealer then by all means he should be allowed to do that.  If the coaches find out, then they should simply report it to the NCAA and let them handle it.

I seriously hate the culture the NCAA creates in these Universities.  Student athletes are dead broke, yet stars in these small towns but not expected to benefit from their fulltime job of playing football.  Coaches have to try their best to avoid finding out that their start QB got a loaner car, or that their WR got a free tattoo.  Seriously, in the grand scheme of things there are bigger battles the NCAA can be fighting.

What about the use of human growth hormone in athletics?

What about the presence of gamblers influencing referees?

What about the lack of minority head coaches in the FBS?

What about a playoff system to avoid having multiple undefeated top 10 teams at the end of the year?

But no… I guess Terrelle Pryor “getting his roll on” in a Nissan is a bigger issue, for whatever reason.

What did Jim Tressel accomplish in his 10 years as head coach to garner the untouchable status he seemed to have? One national title, which was won by a player (Maurice Clarett) that I’d argue was probably ineligible at the time as well. Behind the sweater vest has been too many questionable players and events over the past ten years.

Yes, I am an Ohio State fan. Yes, I believe the NCAA should pay the players. But I also believe in trying to follow the rules as long as they apply. As long as the NCAA says you cannot have “improper benefits” then I expect the head coach of a top 25 school to turn himself into the compliance department when he learns his players are trading memorabilia like Poke’mon cards. Don’t sit on the information for months then act stupid when all you-know-what hits the fan. Coach made his bed and now he must lie in it.

Going forward, I am sure more schools will get hit as the season goes on. USC and Ohio State aren’t the only places improper benefits are happening. It’s happening country wide. Coaches have to practice the motto of “CYA” more now than never.

What hurts a team worse?

Losing a couple players for a few games or losing it’s coach… right before the season starts?

Chose wisely coaches. The NCAA is watching.

So to jump on the bandwagon a little, here are five sleeper players to keep an eye on in the 2011 NFL Draft:

1. Ahmad Black Safety Florida

Playing in the SEC kinda of disqualifies you from being a sleeper, but Ahmad Black is a guy that doesn’t get the attention he should probably be getting right now.  Playing next to the flashier Will Hill, Black gets overshadowed a bit but when it is all said and done he may be the better pro.  Being undersized will hurt his draft stock but with guys like Bob Sanders and OJ Atogwe getting released do not be surprised if someone trades back into a round to grab Ahmad.

2. Dwayne Harris WR ECU

Yes, the homer pick but playing in the C-USA you don’t get much shine, and Harris is a guy that many have not heard of but will soon.  Though his official title was wide receiver, Dwayne Harris was Mr. Do It All for ECU, returning kicks, catching passes, getting handoffs, and even throwing once every now and then.  Harris is a guy that may never be a star in the NFL but he will quietly impact games with his returns and knack for making big catches in big moments.  In every aspect he reminds me of Antwaan Randle-El.

3. OLB Mason Foster Washington

Guess who led the Pac 10 in tackles this year?  That would be Mr. Mason Foster.  Foster is a guy who is just flat out productive.  While that does not always translate into the same kind of pro career Foster is a guy with a nose for the football and pretty good football instincts.  He won’t be a starter from day 1 but with a year or so in the right system he can become a very productive pro.  Some 4-3  team is going to grab Foster in round 3 or 4 and won’t be sorry they did.

4. Jacquizz Rodgers RB/WR Oregon State

EDIT: I a commenter reminded me that James got a medical redshirt so he wont be in the draft.  (But my sentiments remain the same)

I have to put both of the Rodgers brothers on this list, as I really like both of their pro chances.  If I had to lean to one I’d lean to RB Jacquizz being the better of the two but both are extremely explosive players and will find a niche whether it is in the return game or on one of the NFL’s quasi spread offenses.

Curtis Grant is the #2 overall player in the nation and the highest ranked player to currently commit.

Ohio State already signed Braxton Miller last year, who is probably going to be in the mix as Terrelle Pryor serves his 5 game suspension. The Buckeyes are going to be very young, but they are building a quiet crop of talent I think we all need to keep a eye on!

If there was anyone questioning whether or not Cameron Heyward is a first round selection, last nights showing in the Sugar Bowl may have shut them up.

Playing with an arm injury and a lower leg injury, Cameron Heyward continued to dominated Arkansas’ offensive line, play-after-play, series-after-series.  Arkansas started the game letting their top offensive tackle Demarcus Love go one on one with Heyward but it wasn’t enough.  Cameron’s speed and power was just too much for Love, as well as many of the other schemes Arkansas tried to stop him.

That’s what makes Heyward’s style of play so attractive to NFL teams.  His “bull in a china shop” style of rushing fits right in with the pros.  One could argue that his play in the Sugar Bowl is the reason that Ohio State won the game.  Ryan Mallett clearly was pressured early and often and forced into bad throws often.

If I were to compare Heyward’s game to an active NFL player I would compare him to Jared Odrick of the Miami Dolphins.  Both players are stout rushers who rely more on power at the point of attack and a constant onslaught of jabs to get through slower offensive tackles.  I think Odrick plays with much more of a “mean streak” than Heyward but other than that their game is very similar as pass rushers.

Heyward should go in the middle to end of round one in the draft.  If somehow he slides into round two expect to see a team trade up and snatch him like the last Nintendo Ds Lite in Toys R Us on Christmas Eve.