Se’Von Pittman To Transfer

November 24, 2012; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer shakes hands with fans as he leads his team into the stadium before the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

As spring football began, Se’Von Pittman was noticeably absent from practice. On Tuesday night we figured out why, as the University announced that he would transfer from Ohio State. Pittman was the 8th ranked Weakside Defensive End and the 95th ranked recruit in the country (according to the rivals.com rankings). He originally committed to Michigan State. Due to the arrival of Urban Meyer at Ohio State, however, Pittman decided to become a Buckeye.

After suffering from a knee injury last season, Pittman elected to redshirt in hopes of having four years of eligibility. He has now decided to transfer without ever playing for Urban Meyer and Ohio State. He was needed to add depth to a defensive line that lost three starters due to graduation. But was this a smart move on Pittman’s behalf?

The Big Ten currently allows players to transfer within the conference. But they must sit out a year, losing that year of eligibility. So Michigan State is available as an option for Pittman but he would no longer have 4 years of eligibility anyway, thus his choice to transfer there was for a mere starting role. Who knows, maybe Pittman would have more success there in the long run as the Spartans have less depth on their defensive line?

Regardless of what happens with Pittman, however, his transfer is not all bad for the Buckeyes. It brings the number of players they have on scholarships down to 82 , which is the limit for them this season due to the NCAA sanctions imposed on the program. Besides, with the way Urban Meyers is recruiting, Ohio State won’t need him in the long run anyway.