Offutt looking for somewhere he can play
I talked with Walter Offutt today before he had class. He'll finish up the fall quarter at Ohio State before transferring to a school where, he said, he sees a better chance of playing than he saw at Ohio State.
Might that be Butler, in his hometown of Indianapolis?
I'm not sure if the Bulldogs have a scholarship available, and they just signed three recruits for next season. But Offutt did not discount the possibility when I joked that his mother would have a much shorter drive to his games if he landed there.
Offutt said he "mentioned one school in particular" to coach Thad Matta on Monday night when they discussed Offutt being released from his scholarship.
"I don?t want to disclose it," Offutt said, "but if they have a spot for me, I'd love to be a part of that program."
One of Butler's starting guards, 6-foot-3 guard Willie Veasley, is a senior.
Offutt also could look at Ohio University, where former Ohio State assistant John Groce is head coach. Groce recruited Offutt for Ohio State.
"I've got to weigh out my decisions," Offutt said. "There are not a lot of scholarships out there. I have people I talk to, old AAU coaches, and they'll talk to some coaches for me. I'll sit down with my mom and dad and figure out what the best opportunity is for me to go in and get playing time.
"I want there to not even be a question about me playing at a school. If I went to (another) high major, am I putting myself at risk (of not playing) again? Obviously, this is my second chance. I have to make sure my second chance is legit."
Offutt said his lack of playing time was the only reason he decided to leave Ohio State, and that not playing at all against North Carolina and California in New York last week was the tipping point.
"I talked to (Matta) a number of times about getting on the floor," he said. "I talked to him a number of times last year, and the assistant coaches, about 'When is my time going to come?'
"Obviously, last year I was coming off (a high school knee) injury and getting back in rhythm. But I thought I had a great summer. I got better shooting the ball, taking care of the ball. I had the feeling not only from the assistant coaches but coach Matta that it was my time to get on the floor this year, that I was going to contribute big minutes.
?Obviously, the last two games, the quote-unquote big games, I didn?t get in.?
With seniors Jeremie Simmons and P.J. Hill coming off the bench ahead of him now, and the four starting guards all underclassmen, Offutt did not see his situation improving this season or next.
He said he has no hard feelings toward Matta.
"He's a great coach. He?s had success with many teams," Offutt said. "Obviously, he has his reasons for the guys he plays and the minutes he plays them and the guys he doesn?t play. It seems like I wasn?t in his plans. As much as they say they needed me, at the end of the day, fact is fact, I'm not playing. I need to get somewhere where I can contribute and play immediately.
"I did not want to leave the program. Maybe it's not what's best for the team because they might need me down the stretch. But at the end of the day, sometimes you need to do what?s best for you."
