Ohio State's quarterback situation was (very) stable in 2016, with J.T. Barrett healthy and effective throughout the campaign. Prior to that, though, the Buckeyes faced all kinds of turmoil at the most important position, with Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones and Barrett in something of a carousel due to injury and performance. Throughout the last few years, backup QB Stephen Collier was around through it all but, unfortunately, he never threw a pass at the college level.
On Thursday, Collier announced, via Land of 10, that he will be retiring from football with eligibility remaining.
Yes, it is hard to acknowledge that it's time for me to hang up my cleats. There were opportunities to go elsewhere to keep living that dream, but why would I leave the greatest institution in the United States? That doesn't make any sense at all.
It's time for me to start living my new dream.
As I begin taking those steps, I wanted to take one last moment to say thank you. So thank you, Buckeye Nation, for supporting this team, this university and me for the last three years. It's been my greatest honor and privilege to play for you. I will be a Buckeye for life.
In the letter, Collier acknowledges that an ACL injury last spring was brutal in terms of his on-field prospects. The three-star dual-threat quarterback from Lee County (Ga.) never rose to prominence between the white lines, but the letter displays his love for Ohio State and his teammates and it is certainly moving.
The entire column is worth a read, but Collier will be working on a master's degree at OSU after graduating with a bachelor's in less than three years. In short, this is an impressive young man and it will be interesting to see what he does in the future.
