When he announced he was transferring from Ole Miss, they claimed it was a great day for the Rebel football program. They claimed he was a locker room cancer and a disruption. They said he yelled at his teammates and would have been kicked off the team if he were not a good player.
They questioned if he could get along and share a backfield with TreVeyon Henderson. By the time the confetti started to fall from the ceiling at Mercedes Benz Stadium after the Buckeyes had beaten Notre Dame to win the national championship, Quinshon Judkins had quieted his critics.
When Judkins joined the Ohio State program, it didn’t take long for him to put any apprehensions to rest about his conduct. He bought into the brotherhood mentality and became an exemplary teammate.
The junior from Pike Road, Alabama, and Henderson developed a close friendship and, when the season began, Judkins showed he had no problem with dividing up the workload. His hard work in the classroom paid off as he was one of three Buckeyes to be named an Academic All-American. Judkins also took the time to visit with kids in local hospitals.
While message board trolls claim that Ohio State lured Mississippi’s star running back away with NIL money, the truth is Judkins left on his own. In his first two seasons with the Rebels, he had rushed for over 2,700 yards but had carried the ball a whopping 545 times.
Running backs have only so much of a shelf life-Judkins wanted to go someplace where he would not have to carry the entire load. With Henderson coming back for another season, Ohio State looked like a very good landing spot.
Transferring to Ohio State proved to be very beneficial for both Judkins and the Buckeyes. OSU got a tough, physical runner who gained over a thousand yards, was a devastating blocker, an adept receiver, and the perfect partner for Henderson. He was an integral part of the OSU offense on their run through the College Football Playoff.
His five total touchdowns in the games against Texas and Notre Dame, including one that featured a highlight reel stiff arm, will become a part of Buckeye lore. My favorite comment from when he announced he was transferring came from the Mississippi fan who said the Rebels would just find someone better in the transfer portal. Yeah, sure. How’d that work out for y’all?
I don’t doubt Judkins acted out while at Mississippi, but I don’t believe for a second he was the awful teammate they claim. From what I’ve seen from their head coach, Lane Kiffin, and the way he chooses to do business, I’ve come to the conclusion that the real problems lie within the Rebel football program itself.
Ole Miss fans now have a new name for the guy they called a cancer. They can now call Quinshon Judkins champion.