The league is looking at some interesting backfield battles.
The Big Ten has been doing quite well at running back, and that's certainly translated to the next level. Two of the NFL's best backs hail from the conference in Ezekiel Elliott and Saquon Barkley. Jonathan Taylor was the league's third-leading rusher as a rookie in 2020, and he already looks like a star in the making.
This time around, there are plenty of familiar faces mixed in with some youngsters and new names from the transfer portal. The star power isn't quite what we've seen in some recent years, but the Big Ten has its share of backfield storylines heading into the spring.
Season-Long Battle in Columbus?
Outside of the quarterback derby and fixing the secondary, Tony Alford's running back room is one of the more intriguing Ohio State storylines. Master Teague is a seasoned veteran who most expect to get the starting nod on Sept. 2 against Minnesota. But several talented young backs may very well turn this into a season-long battle in the backfield.
Five-star true freshman TreVeyon Henderson may have a higher ceiling than any recent Buckeye tailback. North Carolina native Evan Pryor may also see the field early on in his career; potentially as both a running back and a pass-catcher. Miyan Williams flashed in his limited role in 2020 and should be in line for expanded touches as a sophomore. Steele Chambers and Marcus Crowley are also in the mix as veteran backs.
Trey Sermon's departure means that there will be a lot of carries to go around. The Ohio State backfield situation will likely be an ongoing story throughout the spring and summer and even into the fall. Can the veteran hold off some younger backs who appear to have a much higher ceiling?
Talented PSU Stable Looking to Bounce Back
Penn State came into the 2020 season with what looked like the league's best backfield. Journey Brown was named MVP of the 2019 Cotton Bowl after rushing for 202 yards and two scores against Memphis. He looked to be one of the conference's best backs in 2020, but a heart condition led to him missing the season and ultimately retiring from the sport.
The loss didn't look all that bad on paper as Noah Cain and Devyn Ford – two of the nation's best backs in the 2019 recruiting class – were both heading into their sophomore seasons. But Cain suffered a leg injury in the opener that forced him to miss the rest of the season. Ford averaged a pedestrian 4.1 yards per carry while rushing for 274 and three scores in six games.
Instead, it was Sean Clifford and true freshman Keyvone Lee leading the ground game. Lee rushed for 438 yards with four touchdowns and averaged nearly five per attempt. It's now expected to be quite the rotation with Cain, Ford, Lee, and sophomore Caziah Holmes all heavily in the mix. Former backup quarterback Will Levis is now in Lexington. His 82 carriers were third-most on the team in 2020.
Second-Year Surge for the Badgers?
It's officially the Jalen Berger show in Madison. Wisconsin has a rich history at the position, and the sophomore will now carry the load for Paul Chryst and Co. A New Jersey native, Berger was one of the program's top signees in the Class of 2020. He had 60 carries for 301 yards and two scores as a true freshman. He played in four games despite dealing with COVID-19 and the crowded backfield.
Things are now far less crowded; at least in terms of experienced players. Garrett Groshek made the decision not to return after leading the Badgers in rushing in 2020. Additionally, Nakia Watson entered the transfer portal after rushing for 200 yards as a sophomore. Wisconsin signed a trio of three-star backs in the 2021 class. They should help to provide some support to Berger's new role as the bell cow.
The #Badgers running back pipeline from New Jersey to Madison continues to shine. Freshman Jalen Berger goes 23-yards for his first career touchdown at Wisconsin. Michigan is looking for their white flag. pic.twitter.com/4zMMsR8eq7
— George Balekji (@GeorgeBalekji) November 15, 2020
A New Hope for Michigan
Kareem Walker? Nope. Zach Charbonnet? Absolutely not. Donovan Edwards? To be determined.
Michigan's touted tailbacks haven't exactly worked out of late. Walker was a member of the 2016 class, but he left the program before doing anything of note. Charbonnet brought some excitement to Ann Arbor in 2019, but he's off to UCLA after rushing for 850 yards and 12 scores in two seasons. Donovan Edwards was the country's third-best tailback and No. 41 overall prospect in the 2021 class. He should see the field as a true freshman, but it's likely to be in a shared backfield.
The West Bloomfield native is expected to be second or third on the depth chart behind senior Hassan Haskins and perhaps sophomore Blake Corum. Haskins led the ground attack with 375 yards and six scores in six games in 2020. He had a respectable 6.1 yards per attempt and should lead the way again. Corum had 74 yards on 26 carries for a putrid 2.8 per attempt. Michigan will have a new quarterback in 2021, so the backfield should be heavily relied upon.
Elsewhere in the Midwest
| PROGRAM | BACKFIELD COMPETITION |
|---|---|
| Ohio State | Teague, Williams, Crowley, Henderson, Chambers |
| Wisconsin | Jalen Berger, Isaac Guerendo, Julius Davis |
| Penn State | Noah Cain, Keyvone Lee, Devyn Ford |
| Indiana | Sampson James, Tim Baldwin |
| Michigan | Hassan Haskins, Donovan Edwards, Blake Corum |
| Northwestern | Cam Porter, Evan Hull |
| Iowa | Tyler Goodson, Ivory Kelly-Martin |
| Maryland | Peny Boone, Tayon Fleet-Davis |
| Nebraska | Markese Stepp, Ronald Thompkins |
| Minnesota | Mohamed Ibrahim, Treyson Potts |
| Purdue | Zander Horvath, King Doerue |
| Michigan State | Kenneth Walker, Connor Heyward, Jordon Simmons |
| Rutgers | Isaih Pacheco, Aaron Young |
| Illinois | Chase Brown, Mike Epstein |
The league's leading rusher is back at it in Minneapolis. Mohamed Ibrahim's 2020 numbers would have been impressive even for a full-length season. He rushed for 1,076 yards and a whopping 15 touchdowns in just seven games. The 3-4 season certainly wasn't what P.J. Fleck was looking for, but his best player returns for another go at it in 2021.
Iowa's Tyler Goodson and the Illini's Chase Brown were also among the top-five leading backs a season ago, and both are returning in 2021. Bret Bielema quietly has a really solid rushing game with Brown, Mike Epstein, and dual-threat quarterback Isaiah Williams. For the Hawkeyes, Goodson averaged over 95 yards per game as a sophomore and was named first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and the media
There are a few noteworthy transfers as well, and both could be starters for their new teams. Michigan State has some solid depth at the position, and that depth got even better with the addition of Kenneth Walker III. In his two seasons at Wake Forest, Walker played in 18 games and rushed for 1,158 yards and 17 touchdowns. For Scott Frost and the Huskers, former USC tailback Markese Stepp could step into a starting role. The Indiana native battled injuries in SoCal as he recorded 100 carries for just 500 yards in three seasons.
What does all of this mean for Ohio State? Outside of its own backfield battle, the biggest thing to watch might just be the defense on Sept. 2. We've talked a lot about the secondary woes and what Kerry Coombs can do to fix things, but Ibrahim and the Gopher ground game will give the front seven a real test in the opener. Ryan Day would probably prefer his three new starting linebackers get a taste of something else before squaring off against what may be the league's best tailback.
