He's heading east.
Third-year offensive lineman Ryan Jacoby, who entered the transfer portal six days ago, announced on Sunday evening that he's heading to Pittsburgh.
New beginnings!! #H2P pic.twitter.com/Tpfv7L0UNa
— Ryan Jacoby (@Ryan_Jacoby) August 16, 2021
The former Buckeye has four seasons of eligibility remaining. He's expected to have to sit out the 2021 season before becoming eligible to debut with the Panthers in 2022. The deadline to transfer and play immediately elsewhere – set this year for July 1 – has passed.
Jacoby was the first Buckeye to transfer out of Ohio State since Tyreke Johnson left and found a new home at Nebraska.
He was set to be a reserve interior lineman on the Buckeyes' roster this fall before opting to transfer. He hadn't yet played in a game for his home-state powerhouse.
Jacoby should see an easier path to the field as a major contributor at Pittsburgh, which is coming off a 6-5 season. A former teammate of Jacoby's at Mentor High School – long snapper Byron Floyd – is on the Panthers' roster. He'll also get a chance to face West Virginia in one of college football's best rivalries slayed by realignment – the Backyard Brawl – beginning next year.
