Nearly two months after stating publicly that he would be transferring back to his home state, Joey O’Connor has done just that.
Colorado State announced via a press release that the offensive lineman has been accepted to the university and will join the football team for the 2013 season. O’Connor comes back to the state where he played his high school football after spending the 2012 season at Ohio State.
“We are very excited to welcome Joey O’Connor to Colorado State University and to our football family,” said head coach Jim McElwain in a statement. “He has chosen to come back to Colorado, and be closer to home, and the fact that he chose Colorado State speaks volumes about this university and the outstanding things happening in our football program.”
O’Connor will have to sit out the 2013 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules, and will have three years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2014.
A four-star member of the Buckeyes’ 2012 recruiting class, O’Connor was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 12 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 2 player at any position in the state of Colorado. He suffered a knee injury during summer camp and sat out the entire 2012 season as a redshirt.
(Photo credit: Ohio State athletics)