Buckeyes Preparing For Familiar Setting

The running game was bound to take a step back in 2014. How could it not? Carlos Hyde bullied his way to a 1,500 yard season and 15 touchdowns, despite being suspended for the first three games of the 2013 season. He rode that season to an early second round pick in the 2014 draft.

With his departure, the Buckeyes were left with a significant hole at running back. Ezekiel Elliott and Rod Smith were expected to shoulder the load left behind, but neither of them had received any significant carries the season before. Elliott was the young, but very talented recruit, and Smith was a guy looking to finally make an impact on the program.

Expecting either to completely fill the shoes that Hyde left probably wasn’t realistic, but both were going to be called upon to keep Urban Meyer’s offense humming.

It didn’t take long for Elliott to take firm control of the starting job, and the rest is history. He went on to have one of the single greatest years in program history, and his post season performance in route to the national title will be remembered for a long time.

Fast forward to the 2016 season and it is now Elliott’s enormous shoes that must be filled. Again, expecting any one or group to be able to avoid a drop off from Elliott’s production is probably not realistic. Fortunately, even if there is some drop off, the running game can still provide plenty of potency.

In steps a trio of players looking to make their mark on the program. For Bri’onte Dunn, a fifth year

senior, it is his final chance to produce at Ohio State. He will be in the middle of a hotly contested competition, though, and with two guys who have come to Columbus with a lot of expectations.

Mike Weber was close to earning a significant role last year before a torn meniscus in fall camp slowed down his progress. Getting close to full strength, he is going to get every opportunity to solidify himself as the featured back along side J.T. Barrett.

Not to be forgotten, true freshman Antonio Williams could very well have something to say about the battle this summer. He was an early enrollee, and given the uncertainty at the position, he is far from an afterthought in that locker room.

Meyer has said this spring that, as of right now, he would play three running backs. It’s not hard to cipher through that and see that statement as a way to confirm that all three of those guys are on a level playing field. He doesn’t want to play all three of them, and if it comes to that, it would be a disappointing outcome to this battle.

Someone is going to assert themselves, and they’re going to be relied upon to continue the overpowering running game that has been the identity of the Ohio State offense since Meyer took the job.

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