Ohio State football: All aboard the TreVeyon Henderson Hype Train

The Ohio State football team has had a long line of great running backs. They have another one who’s about to explode.

For months now I’ve seen articles comparing true freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson to J.K. Dobbins. I did not think it fair to raise the expectations on a young player who hasn’t played a game since the fall of 2019 (his home state of Virginia decided to not have football in the fall of 2020) and compare him to Ohio State’s second all-time leading rusher. Then I watched video of both from their junior year of high school. After viewing those, I invite you to please join me on the Henderson Hype Train.

When watching each, a few things hit you right away. Both run with their eyes; they each have outstanding vision. They each have a burst that gets them through a hole or around the edge in a hurry. Each have great ability to change direction; they can quickly make nearly ninety-degree cuts in the blink of an eye. They’re no-nonsense runners who find the hole and get through it. Lastly, they’re nearly identical in size. Dobbins was listed at 208 pounds as a freshman; Henderson is 210. Both are 5’10”.

Dobbins came to the Ohio State football program as the nation’s number two running back in the 2017 class and became an immediate starter due to an injury to Mike Weber. Henderson was the top running back in the 2021 recruiting cycle, but his path to playing time is a little less clear. Master Teague is considered the starter right now. I like Teague, but he’s limited in what he can do. Sophomore Miyan Williams has quietly become someone who will push Teague and show the coaching staff he’s deserving of more carries. Steele Chambers, Marcus Crowley, and fellow true freshman Evan Pryor are also working to be a part of the rotation.

Want a prediction? Henderson isn’t just going to play, he’s going to play a lot. After watching him in the Spring Game, you can see it is going to be difficult to keep him off the field. In April I wrote about the Buckeyes needing “Special” at running back (read that here). Henderson may be that guy. In the Spring Game, he looked every bit as quick with the ball in his hands against faster college players as he did in high school. What impressed me most was his performance as a receiver. He looked very comfortable lining up in the slot and showed excellent hands. It is obvious Ryan Day likes that part of his game as well, because Henderson was used often in the passing game.

One thing Henderson will have to master in order to increase his playing time is pass blocking. While covering the Buckeyes leading up to their match-up with Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, I shot an interview with OSU running backs coach at that time, Tim Spencer. While addressing why true freshman phenom Maurice Clarett was able to win the starting tailback job to start the season, Spencer said the biggest factor was his ability to understand pass blocking. Spencer, who is still the fifth leading rusher in Ohio State history (if you’re curious as to how good he was, watch his 1982 Holiday Bowl performance against BYU here), said pass blocking is the most difficult facet for young running backs to learn. The more Henderson understands his role in pass protection, the more you’ll see him a part of the offense.

I tend to be a little more low-key when it comes to hype surrounding incoming freshman. I resisted climbing aboard the TreVeyon Henderson Hype Train, but not anymore. I’m now all in on the young freshman and am very excited to see the impact he makes on this year’s offense.