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Ohio State football: A taste of things to come

By Del Barris

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Evan Pryor (21) finds a gap in the defense during the game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio Sept. 25. Ohio State would win the game 59-7Osu21akr Njg 021
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Evan Pryor (21) finds a gap in the defense during the game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio Sept. 25. Ohio State would win the game 59-7Osu21akr Njg 021 /
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The sample size was small. Not much to go on at all. But, Evan Pryor certainly gave us a taste of things to come.

The true freshman running back entered the Ohio State football team’s game against Akron for his team’s final series. It was the first time we have seen him in the 2021 season. His first three carries went for 5, 4, and 6 yards. On all three he made a slight adjustment after taking the handoff, and got through the hole in a hurry. Vision and quickness. Once he saw the hole he did not waste time, he accelerated and got through it.

On his next carry a few minutes later he saw the hole in front of him was closed off, so he bounced to the outside. Instead of continuing laterally and trying to outrace the Akron cornerback to the edge, he saw a lane, and cut inside of him for an eight-yard gain. Once Pryor saw the opening, he planted his foot, made the cut and got up the field. There again was the vision and quickness.

Pryor capped off the drive by taking a handoff going wide to his left. As he started to turn up field and head towards the goal line, he saw two Akron defenders had cut off his path. Pryor adjusted his course, took advantage of a good block from receiver Chris Booker, and won a race to the pylon for his first career touchdown.

As impressed as I was with what I saw, I don’t think we’ll see him in an expanded role or much more at all. The running back position at Ohio State is currently very crowded. Fellow true freshman TreVeyon Henderson is turning more and more heads every time he touches the football. Miyan Williams and Master Teague are now battling for playing time behind Henderson. In the last two games we’ve seen the Buckeyes go with a two-running back rotation that relegates either Williams or Teague to a spectator role. I don’t see that rotation expanding nor do I see Pryor leaping over Williams or Teague on the depth chart. I think he is most likely headed for a redshirt and that is not to be seen as a negative in any way.

Next. Cam Martinez emerging as a star. dark

His stat line for the Akron game reads 5 carries for 35 yards, 1 touchdown, and a long gain of 12 yards. If someone was looking through the boxscore they probably wouldn’t give much thought to what they saw, but Evan Pryor gave Ohio State football fans a taste of things to come and left us hungry for more.

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