COLUMBUS, Ohio — Joe Burrow is spurning familiarity for a chance to show his stuff in the SEC.
A source close to Burrow told cleveland.com on Friday night that the former Ohio State quarterback will transfer to LSU. The recent graduate will have two years of eligibility remaining, and can play right away for the Tigers.
Burrow later confirmed that with an announcement on Twitter.
Excited to be playing in Death Valley next season. Ready to get to work.
— Joey Burrow (@Joe_Burrow10) May 19, 2018
He chose LSU over Cincinnati. Those were the only two schools Burrow visited after announcing his intent to transfer from OSU earlier this month. A reported visit to North Carolina this week never happened. Burrow was contacted by more than 15 schools.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, citing a source at UC, reported earlier on Friday night that Burrow would be committing to LSU.
When Burrow announced his intent to transfer, short lists for possible destinations soon followed. The only two schools that garnered serious consideration were LSU and Cincinnati.
Cincinnati would’ve made sense given Burrow is from Ohio, and that would have allowed the Athens product and former Mr. Football winner to remain in state. He is also familiar with UC head coach and former Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell. But the Bearcats also have a returning starter in Hayden Moore, and that could have been a complicated position.
Had Burrow picked Cincinnati, that could have set up a potential return to Ohio Stadium in 2019 when the Buckeyes host the Bearcats. That intriguing story line won’t happen now.
This was about Burrow finding the right landing spot, a chance to start and — judging from the fact that he picked LSU — a chance to compete at the highest level.
After battling with Dwayne Haskins this spring, Burrow opted to leave rather than risk spending another season as a backup. Urban Meyer never officially named a starter, but Haskins was the presumed No. 1 entering spring after finishing the 2017 season No. 2 behind J.T. Barrett.
Burrow is good enough to have won the starting job at either of his top two suitors, but LSU’s quarterback position is much more open than Cincinnati’s.
The Tigers don’t have any players returning with starting experience. Three players battled in the spring to replace Danny Etling, but a starter didn’t emerge. The program is starving to get things on track offensively, having not finished better than 84th in the country in passing offense since 2013.
That provides Burrow with opportunity to work with a roster comprised of top-15 recruiting classes in each of the last four years, three of those in the top-10, but also pressure to quickly turn around a program that expects to compete in the SEC West.
Assuming Burrow will be LSU’s starter in 2018, he’ll make his debut on a national stage. LSU opens the season on Sunday, Sept. 2 against Miami at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. That game will be televised on ABC at 7:30 p.m.
Burrow has never started a college game. He was the backup to Barrett in 2016, and the No. 3 quarterback behind Barrett and Haskins last year after breaking his throwing hand late in training camp.
After redshirting in 2015, Burrow completed 29-of-39 passes for 287 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions over the past two seasons. He also rushed 15 times for 53 yards and a touchdown.
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