Ezekiel Elliott May Have Been Right, But He Was Still Wrong
By Ty Duffy
Ezekiel Elliott criticized the Ohio State coaching staff after the Michigan State loss. He called out the coaches for “not putting (them) in a position to win.” His comments incited a debate, or, more accurately, two discussions talking past one another.
Elliott was correct. Michigan State out-coached Ohio State. Though, whether the solution was giving the ball to him more against a tough run defense (12 carries, 33 yards, long of 7) is open to debate.
Media members should appreciate honesty. It’s not the worst thing a football player has said or done. Few would argue Elliott does not have the right to speak his mind. But, that’s not really the issue. From a team perspective, Elliott’s comments were about the worst thing, within reason, he could have done. He dumped accelerant on an open flame.
Maybe Elliott divided the locker room. Maybe he spoke for a majority within it. Regardless, the issue was not one that needed to be hashed out in public. Given how Urban Meyer’s tenure unraveled at Florida, it has created colossal, unnecessary distraction ahead of the Michigan game.
This direct challenge places Meyer in precarious positions. Cracking down on Elliott to reassert his authority court hurt Ohio State’s chances against Michigan. Not cracking down on Elliott is a tacit acknowledgement he has none.
Elliott is only a 20-year-old. He would not be the first to have a bad reaction in a trying moment. But, there are a lot of 20-year-olds in college football. Most have handled a bad loss far better.