Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott was cited for three violations following his involvement in a minor car accident Sunday, but that will not affect his status for Ohio State’s Fiesta Bowl matchup with Notre Dame this week.
The Columbus Dispatch reports Elliott was cited for driving under suspension, driving without a license and failure to control. The accident occurred in the middle of the afternoon on Sunday. Columbus police labeled him as the “at-fault driver.” and he was released following the citation. The report from the Columbus paper also said an Ohio State spokesperson said the incident will have no impact on Elliott’s status for the Fiesta Bowl.
Elliott said he lost control of the car after hitting a puddle in the road. It is not yet reported how fast Elliott was driving. Elliott is scheduled to appear in court on January 26.
Naturally, there will likely be some criticizing Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer for that decision. Earlier in the season, Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett was suspended by Meyer for one game following a misdemeanor offense for operating a vehicle while impaired. Elliott was not charged for any offenses related to drugs or alcohol, and the story suggests this really was a simple accident, but Elliott was driving under a suspension. That would arguably be worthy of some degree of punishment, even if just as light as missing one series or quarter.