Redshirt freshman Willie Mobley has decided to leave the Ohio State football program, Rivals.com is reporting.
Mobley is leaving OSU for UCLA, a school he had considered during the recruiting process but shied away from after a coaching change.
The defensive lineman has been buried on the Buckeyes’ depth chart, in part due to depth on talent at the position and in part because of an injury that slowed his development. His family also recently moved to the Los Angeles area, which was obviously another factor in the decision.
“I want to thank the whole Buckeye family for supporting me through my injury and everything,” Mobley said. “I have learned so much from coach Tressel and the rest of the coaches and my teammates.
“This had nothing to do with the state of Ohio or the fans or anything. This is just something that was best for me and something that I had to do.”
Mobley was a top-ten talent on the DL in the 2008 recruiting class, and had offers from, among others, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Iowa and Arizona before opting for Ohio State.