Even though he entered the transfer portal earlier this month, Teradja Mitchell’s Ohio State career isn’t over yet.
The fifth-year senior linebacker has remained with the Buckeyes throughout their preparation for the Peach Bowl, and he’ll be in uniform at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Ohio State on Saturday ready to take the field if called upon to play against Georgia.
Although Mitchell decided it would be in his best interest to enter the portal so he could find a new home for his final year of collegiate eligibility, he didn’t want to abandon his current team as it competes for a national championship.
“I've been grinding with these guys for the past five years now. So it's very important to me,” Mitchell said at Thursday’s Peach Bowl media day of finishing out the season with Ohio State. “This is a brotherhood. We put in so much work this past offseason. And I feel like it's important for me to finish where I started.”
Initially, it appeared as though Mitchell wouldn’t be able to play in the Peach Bowl if he was going to preserve his redshirt, which he needs to take this year to have a sixth year of eligibility for 2023. Having played in four games this year, Mitchell would have burned his redshirt if he played in any more games during the regular season.
Thanks to a blanket waiver passed by the NCAA earlier this month allowing players to play in bowl games without impacting their redshirt eligibility, however, Mitchell can play in the Peach Bowl and/or a potential national championship game and retain his extra year of eligibility, which he has thanks to the NCAA giving all players another year of eligibility in 2020.
“It was exciting,” Mitchell said of the NCAA passing the waiver. “I'm glad I'm able to play these playoff games and help my team win.”
Mitchell, the only Buckeye to enter the transfer portal since the end of the regular season who is still with the team, isn’t likely to play a major role on the field for the Buckeyes in the CFP. He’s played only one defensive snap for Ohio State this year. If he plays, it’s likely to be on special teams, where he has played in three games this season including the Michigan game, in which he was on the kickoff coverage unit.
Regardless of whether he sees game action, Mitchell hopes to make a positive impact on the Buckeyes in his final days with the team.
“Provide leadership to the younger guys, the older guys and just provide a positive energy and help out on special teams,” Mitchell said when asked how he views his current role.
“I feel like it's important for me to finish where I started.”– Teradja Mitchell on staying with Ohio State for the College Football Playoff
As for his decision to transfer, Mitchell said he “just prayed about it and felt like sometimes it's best to move on and see if you have opportunities out there elsewhere.”
According to a report last week by Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel, Mitchell is expected to transfer to Florida for his final season of college football. Mitchell did not confirm that report Thursday, saying he wanted to keep his future plans private until after Ohio State’s season ends.
“My focus right now is on beating Georgia,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said he has received interest from many schools since entering the portal, and he is grateful for all the interest he’s gotten. Wherever he goes next year, he is confident he can make a significant contribution.
“It’s a blessing that schools are out there and want to take an opportunity to have me come help their roster,” Mitchell said. “I can bring physicality, energy, a guy that can lead in the middle. A guy that works hard and knows how to put a culture together.”
He’s putting all of that to the side for now, though, as he focuses on trying to beat the Bulldogs. That’s the approach he’s tried to take all month, at least when he’s been at practice or otherwise around his teammates.
“It's just important when you’re in the facility, all my efforts are toward the goal at hand. Then when you leave the facility, I can focus on that,” Mitchell said. “But like I said, when I’m with the guys, I’m locked in on Ohio State. I’m a Buckeye right now, I’m a Buckeye forever.”
When the season ends and so does Mitchell’s Ohio State career, he will leave OSU with fond memories. He says he thinks Ohio State is “one of the greatest universities in the world” with “some of the greatest coaches in the world,” and that the biggest thing he learned from OSU is to “be competitive and always give your hardest no matter what it is.”
Mitchell would leave Ohio State with even fonder memories if the Buckeyes can beat Georgia and either Michigan or TCU to win the national championship, a goal Mitchell has been trying to achieve throughout his five years in Columbus.
“It would mean the world,” Mitchell said of going out on top. “I've been trying to do this since I’ve been here. So it would mean everything. We put in so much work, and I feel like it's finally our time.”
