Ask any good football coach what his greatest cause for concern is when it comes to their team, the answer more often than not is the depth at crucial positions.
In 2014, Ohio State showed it had enough depth at the most important position on the field, quarterback. That was evident by J.T. Barrett's ascension to Big Ten Freshman of the Year in Braxton Miller's place and Cardale Jones' terrorizing of Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon in the postseason.
No matter what curveballs life threw at their quarterbacks, Tom Herman, Urban Meyer and Ed Warinner put their stellar offensive minds together to win the 2014 National Championship.
A huge reason why the offense was successful though, was because of running back Ezekiel Elliott and the play of Ohio State's offensive line.
Elliott initially saw his carries depleted at the start of the season in favor of true freshman Curtis Samuel — he only ran the ball 27 times in the first three games of the season — but his workload increased almost when Jones took over for an injured Barrett.
The super sophomore ran 76 times for 696 yards in the postseason — including 36 times in the national title game against Oregon — for eight touchdowns. Quite the load for anyone, especially considering how the season spanned nearly five months before it was all said and done.
"Yeah, this season was long and it took a toll on my body. But I'm toasting it," Elliott said in the locker room after the Buckeyes downed Oregon, 42-20, in Dallas Jan. 12. "Had to do a lot of treatment, 15 games is crazy and I think it's like five months long."
Elliott played through a broken bone in his left wrist all year, an injury that needed another surgery that kept him out of spring camp.
But while Elliott and the offensive line was dominant down the stretch, Meyer's been pushing the envelope for the guys behind him to do more in order to earn more time in the backfield.
The job is still Elliott's and Elliott's alone, but with Samuel taking snaps at H-back as Dontre Wilson continues his way back from a broken foot, there could be a chance for others backups to step in and spell the 2015 Heisman Trophy frontrunner.
The Candidates
Bri'onte Dunn
Dunn's name's been floating around the program since spring practice opened because he's the next guy up behind Elliott and Samuel in the backfield.
"Bri'onte Dunn's got a little momentum going in his world," Meyer said this spring. "He's got some momentum right now and it's showing up on the field."
Elliott crushed opposing defenses late in 2014.
A redshirt junior, Dunn's been looming in the shadows behind guys like Carlos Hyde and Elliott for a while now. The time's now or never, and after contributing on special teams last season Meyer and new running backs coach Tony Alford are pleased with his progress.
"He has taken to that challenge, I think, and a lot of improvement still to go — I’m not saying he’s reached the pinnacle by any stretch," Alford said in April.
Said Dunn: "It's a very great opportunity. I get lots of reps ... The most, biggest thing a player's gotta prove on offense is you gotta make plays. You gotta make plays and you've gotta be able to block. So that's what I've been working on."
Warren Ball
A member of the 2012 recruiting class along with Dunn, Ball's career numbers are rather meager — 31 carries for 161 yards. He, like Dunn, has fallen down the depth chart being more talented guys in Hyde and Elliott.
Ball didn't earn a four-star status out of St. Francis DeSales High School for nothing, though.
He and Dunn earned the bulk of the carries in spring drills with Elliott sidelined and Samuel and H-back, but it remains to be seen if he's done enough to earn time at running back.
Curtis Samuel
Samuel burst onto the scene as a freshman, quickly becoming the newest offensive weapon Meyer couldn't stop talking about.
He ran the ball 58 times for 383 yards and six touchdowns last season, but expect the Buckeyes to try to get him the ball plenty more in 2015.
Expect more touches for Samuel next season.
“The days of Curtis Samuel playing 10 plays are over,” Meyer said this spring. “It’s our job to get him on the field for 40 or 50 plays.”
Samuel was recruited to be an H-back, but Meyer liked him at running back out of camp last fall. Expect him to be there again this season, but he could line up in the slot or elsewhere.
Mike Weber
Weber made headlines before, during and after national signing day in February for not only his talent but when he and his high school coach exhibited their frustration when former running backs coach Stan Drayton bolted for the Chicago Bears.
Aside from all that, though, Weber's still a Buckeye and has the tools be a mighty fine one at that.
Meyer's mentioned him as a guy who could push for playing time this season once he arrives on campus. A highly rated prospect, Weber has the highlights to make you think he could be the next great back at Ohio State once Elliott leaves. Whether he plays in 2015 is unlikely, but Ohio State's going to make him as ready as possible if needed.
So what does it all mean? Could Ohio State have a one-two punch in the backfield? It's not likely, but in the past Meyer's offenses have used a shifty runner and power back combination to be successful (see Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin).
A lot depends on who plays quarterback this fall for Ohio State, but if last season was any indication, the Buckeyes like what they have in Elliott.
It just depends on how much they want to use him.
