COLUMBUS -- Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer said Monday he still hoped star Nick Bosa would return to the Buckeyes at some point this season according to the Journal News.
Almost exactly 24 hours later, the school announced the All-American defensive end plans “to withdraw from school in order to devote more time to his rehabilitation and training efforts.”
The announcement came shortly after The Columbus Dispatch reported Bosa and his family had made such a decision. The report also indicated Bosa had told Meyer of the decision on Sunday.
Bosa has been out since suffering a core muscle injury during Ohio State’s win over TCU on Sept. 15.
He had surgery the following week and was declared out for an indefinite time period. When — or if — he might be cleared to play again is unknown publicly at this time.
“I was hopeful that Nick would be able to return to play again for us,” Meyer said in a team release. “I know this was an extremely difficult and emotional decision for Nick and his family, and I wish him well as he moves on to get himself 100 percent healthy and ready for his next chapter. I want to thank Nick for the remarkable efforts he gave for this program. He is a first-class young man who we have been honored to coach.”
A team captain who had four sacks a forced fumble and a recovered fumble (for a touchdown), Bosa is projected to be one of the first players taken in the 2019 NFL Draft — if not No. 1 overall.
The Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas graduate finishes his career with 29 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss.
He was named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and a consensus All-American last season.
He hopes to follow older brother Joey into the NFL. Joey Bosa was the No. 3 pick in the 2016 draft. After a strong start to his NFL career, the elder Bosa has been sidelined this season with a foot injury.
The Journal News is an affiliate of WCPO.
