I say, "Thank you Buckeye Nation!" Praise the Lord above!"🙌🏾🙏🏽 (Listen👂🏽) pic.twitter.com/NMCfWOryqk
— ❌aster W. Teague III (@MasterTeagueIII) January 3, 2022
“Despite this year not going the way I imagined and wanted it to go, I am going to trust the Lord and my abilities,” he wrote in a message posted to social media.
Teague spent four years in Columbus after signing as a four-star recruit out of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
He played in 35 games and ran 323 times for 1,724 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Teague’s best season was 2019 when he ran for 789 yards in 13 games as J.K. Dobbins’ backup. The power back was a third-team All-Big Ten pick and finished seventh in the conference in rushing despite exclusively playing off the bench.
He started six games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign but finished the season behind Trey Sermon, and Teague was a reserve when healthy this season playing behind freshmen TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams.
“Although it has been a challenge, it has made me a better man and caused me to lean on my father that much more,” Teague wrote on social media.
He thanked his parents, the Ohio State coaches and staff while calling Ohio State “a one-of-a-kind university.”
“I am so thankful to be part of The Brotherhood at The Ohio State and part of Buckeye Nation!”
Teague’s exit did not come as a surprise given his position on the depth chart this season and that he took part in Senior Week activities in November.
At this point, Ohio State has three scholarship running backs on the roster in Henderson, Williams and 2021 class member Evan Pryor with 2022 four-star prospect Dallas Hayden set to join.
Teague is the third Ohio State player to announce he is going pro early. Receiver Garrett Wilson and offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere did previously while defensive lineman Zach Harrison has not announced his plans.
Ohio State football: Ryan Day hopes team takes lessons from Rose Bowl into next season https://t.co/JBzLt2wGPJ
— Marcus Hartman (@marcushartman) January 3, 2022
On the flip side, Ohio State added a player to its 2022 recruiting class this week and could yet add two more.
Omari Abor, a four-star defensive end/linebacker from Duncanville, Texas, verbally committed to Ohio State on Sunday.
He is the No. 8 player in his home state and No. 38 in the nation according to 247Sports Composite rankings.
Abor is the 19th player to join the 2022 Ohio State recruiting class, though he might not be the last.
California defensive lineman Hero Kanu is set to announce his decision Saturday during the All-American Bowl in San Antonio. He is down to a final four of Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame and USC according to 247Sports.
The Santa Margarita Catholic product, who is originally from Germany, is the No. 108 recruit in the country and 18th-best defensive line prospect.
Also among the prospects in San Antonio is Carson Hinzman, a four-star offensive lineman from Hammond, Wisc.
He told 247Sports he has made his decision between Ohio State and Wisconsin, and it will be announced soon.
He has attested to growing up a fan of the Badgers — who are known for producing top offensive linemen — but indicated he is intrigued by the power of the program in Columbus.
“They’ve got pretty much everything,” he said of Ohio State. “They’ve been taking runs at the national championship. They’ve had a really great offensive line culture the last 10 years, put a lot of guys in the league. I really respect their strength and conditioning program and their strength and speed program. I also like their stuff outside of football with their (Real Life) Wednesdays and internship opportunities, so that’s pretty cool.”
He is the No. 2 prospect in his home state and the No. 6 interior offensive lineman in the country.
While a team can never have too many potential pass rushers these days, offensive line is a need in this class with Ohio State having only signed three in December.
Ohio State also added a player to its 2023 class recently when Cedrick Hawkins committed during the Rose Bowl.
He is a four-star prospect from Cocoa, Fla.
On the coaching front, new Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles started Sunday, and 2021 acting DC Matt Barnes left to join the staff at Memphis.
Joe Bolden, a quality control coach for the Ohio State defense the past two years, is also on the move. The Cincinnati Colerain graduate, who was a three-year starter at linebacker for Michigan, was hired a special teams coach and outside linebackers coach at Nevada.
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