Ohio State football: Rushing attack has to be strong this season
In 2018, the Ohio State offense was one of the best in the country but it was pass heavy. This season the rushing game must be strong.
As productive as the Ohio State offense was during the 2018 season the rushing attack never got going. Of course with Dwayne Haskins’ arm at his disposal, no one can fault Ryan Day for doubling down on the team’s greatest asset to win games.
The cost the offense had to bear was having to live with a running game that frequently struggled in moments where a traditional pounding through the trenches was needed. Having more balance in 2019 is imperative if the Buckeyes want to win the Big Ten and end their two-year absence from the College Football Playoff invitational.
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The conference schedule is the toughest the team has faced since 2016. Getting through it unscathed will only happen with a lethal rushing attack.
Fortunately, junior J.K. Dobbins returns in what should be a bounce back season.
Dobbins rushed for 1403 yards as a freshman in 2017 while averaging 7.2 yards-per-carry. Despite having 36 more carries in 2018, he rushed for 1053 yards. His average dropped to 4.6 yards-per-carry.
Amazingly, if Dobbins equals his per-game carry average and increases his yards-per-carry to a number closer to 5.8, he has a legitimate shot at passing Eddie George and move into third place for career rushing yards.
Passing Ezekiel Elliott to move into second place is not out of the realm of possibility either. He only needs 1506 yards to do that.
That would be a monster of a season for Dobbins, especially with quarterback Justin Fields’ running ability and Master Teague sharing carries.
Next. Wide receiving corps far ahead of one in 2014. dark
Given Fields’ inexperience, I would think Day will lean on his star back and do everything possible to make sure he gets off to a hot start this year. That would certainly take some pressure off the young quarterback.