He was angry.
The standout junior running back, one of the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy this year, questioned the coaches’ play-calling, not only against the Spartans, but for much of this season.
He also voiced displeasure at the way he was marginalized Saturday and he was frustrated that certain coaches refused to listen to his sideline lobbying.
He capped off his postgame broadside with the announcement that: “Honestly, this was my last game in The Shoe. There’s no chance of me coming back next year. I want to thank Buckeye Nation for making this place so special.”
The team’s workhouse the past two years, Elliott has always refrained from commandeering the personal spotlight and instead directed focus to the team. That’s what made his comments so surprising.
Coming into the MSU game, he had rushed for 3,303 yards and 34 touchdowns the past two seasons. Last Saturday, he carried 27 times for 181 yards against Illinois. But against MSU he carried 12 times for 33 yards and was handed the ball twice in the second half.
“I’m disappointed in the play-calling and disappointed in the situations we were put in,” he said. “I feel like we were not put into the right opportunity to win the game.
“In the one drive we had after we got the strip-sack (of MSU quarterback Damion Terry) we kind of had some momentum. The plays we ran we were gashing them. You saw it. We had momentum.”
The Bucks had recovered the ball on the Spartans’ 32-yard line and over the next 10 plays, Elliott carried eight times and finally scored from a yard out.
“Honestly, we didn’t see those plays at all the rest of the game,” he said. “Those plays weren’t called anymore. I asked for (them) to be called, but they weren’t. I was lobbying all day.”
No one listened, he said:
“It’s kinda been something we’ve seen all season, honestly. We have some momentum and we’re calling plays that work and then we kinda try to get away from it. We try to get cute and run some other stuff.”
Asked who exactly he was referring go, he said: “I’m talking about the play-calling. Whoever calls the plays.”
He said he spent much of the day in head coach Urban Meyer’s ear and Meyer said he did call some of the plays, as did co-offensive coordinators Tim Beck and Ed Warinner.
“I think I do deserve more than 11 carries (he had 12), I think I really do,” he said. “Honestly, I can’t speak for the play-calling. I don’t know what they were seeing. It didn’t work out.”
It was an uncharacteristic day for the Bucks, who managed 132 yards against the formidable Michigan State defense.
More surprising is that the Spartans didn’t wilt even though star quarterback Connor Cook never played. With him sidelined by a shoulder injury, the Spartans gave the Bucks a lesson on how a two-quarterback system should work.
MSU divided the duties between junior Tyler O’Connor, who started, and Terry, a sophomore known for his ability to run.
“What happened today is kinda like a bad dream,” Elliott said.
He was devastated not only by the way the team lost, but felt wounded even more because of all he had done behind the scenes to be able to play.
“It’s been a real rough week for me and no one knows this. We kinda kept it under wraps,” he said softly. “Earlier this week, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I was in the hospital. I had an infection in my leg and … it really took a toll on my body.
“Honestly I didn’t think I was gonna be able to play. I was depressed. I was in the hospital crying like a baby to be able to play.”
Seeing that the news took everyone aback, he bent down, grabbed his pant leg and pulled it up.
“I’ll show you guys,” he said. “I have a big cyst on my leg. It had a scratch and I got a skin infection that became really bad. I had 103-degree fever and couldn’t walk because it was so painful. It was swollen this big.”
He cupped his hands to the size of a grapefruit to make the point. Although the swelling has gone down some, the infection still looked bad and a couple of media members gasped when they saw it.
Elliott said “things turned around” enough that he was able to return to practice Thursday.
“And I was able to play in the game,” he said. “I was cleared 100 percent.”
He said it had been a special day for him because his grandfather had come from Finland to watch him play.
“I wish I was given an opportunity to do more,” he said. “It’s kinda hard that he saw me go out this way.”
While Elliott may not be returning to the Bucks, he didn’t focus on that in the dressing room immediately after the game.
“I got up in front of the team and told them we’re bigger than this loss,” he said. “If this is the worst thing that happens in our lives, we will have lived great lives.
“I told them we need to cherish these moments together. We have to go compete for the rest of the season no matter what.
“I don’t know if it all can work out. I don’t know if we still have a chance at the Big Ten championship. I don’t know what’s ahead of us, but I do know we’re not going to let anyone stand in our way next week (in the regular season finale at Michigan).
“That game means the world to us and everyone in Ohio. We represent everyone in Ohio. We’re gonna come out and play a hell of a ball game. I tell you. We’re gonna look like a different team than we did tonight.”
Then again, as he said a half dozen times afterwards, a lot depends on the play-calling.
About the Author