Ohio State freshman running back Demario McCall, through seven games in 2016, averages 7.2 yards a carry on 20 carries for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Granted, those numbers came against Bowling Green, Tulsa, and Rutgers.
| GAME | RUSH ATT | RUSH YDS | RUSH AVG | RUSH LONG | RUSH TD | REC YDS | REC TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOWLING GREEN | 8 | 54 | 8.6 | 16 | 1 | 34 | 1 |
| TULSA | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 5 | -- | -- | -- |
| RUTGERS | 10 | 85 | 8.5 | 39 | 1 | -- | -- |
Also true: These numbers came in garbage time against the three worst teams on Ohio State's schedule.
They're still impressive for a guy who graduated high school in the spring.
Urban Meyer came to Ohio State decrying the redshirt before red-shirting large portions of his class. Even this year, only four true freshmen played at Penn State, with two of them only seeing special teams action.
Which is fine. It's a rare and special athlete that can earn minutes on an elite college football team. Guys like Nick Bosa and Michael Jordan are rarer because they're doing it in the two most violent positions on the field.
But the NCAA basically invented the redshirt for guys like MCall, who Meyer said last week needed to "bulk up" and work on pass protection.
Which is a fine and probably fair appraisal. But then why did Meyer burn his redshirt only to put him on the shelf after Ohio State actually opened Big Ten play with Indiana?
It's a small and inconsequential question during the sea of turmoil that engulfs the team after every loss. But if McCall is one of these guys who is "going to be gone in three or four years anyway," as Meyer said earlier this year while making his annual anti-red shirt decree, then certainly he's good enough to contribute something right now?
He's not big enough to be a workhorse, but only an idiot would ask him to be. For an offense shockingly lacking explosive plays, McCall seems like the slippery athlete capable of running and receiving the offense could deploy in the right situations?
He couldn't possibly be more of an adventure than the Dontre Wilson Punt Return Experience, which yielded 27 yards in the longest punt return this year.
If he's not, then again, why burn a year of eligibility? (And yes, you're right, the same could be asked about freshman wide receiver Benjimen Victor.)
