DALLAS – For much of the 2017 season, Ohio State has excelled at shutting down opposing running backs.
The Buckeyes almost single-handedly took Saquon Barkley out of the Heisman race, and limited Big Ten Freshman of the Year Johnathan Taylor to a season-low 41 yards on 15 carries in the conference championship game, a 27-21 victory over Wisconsin.
In the 2017 Cotton Bowl, Ohio State is faced with the task of defending yet another stellar running back, this time in USC's Ronald Jones II.
Jones has been overshadowed at times this season, with much of the attention going to quarterback Sam Darnold, who is viewed by many as a top-five pick in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft, assuming he declares early. However, while he might not be known nationally, at least to the level that Darnold is, Jones has made his presence felt once he steps onto the football field.
The Texas native rushed for 1,486 yards this season, good for second in the Pac-12, finding paydirt 18 times on the ground. He rushed for more than 100 yards in nine of 12 games played this season and was named a first-team All-Pac-12 selection following his junior campaign.
USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin described Jones as one of the most unique players he has ever been around.
"Ronald is just different. You have great players. You have great running backs. And then you have backs that are just 'different,' and I don't know if, number one, I haven't coached one like him," Martin said. "I don't know if in my career I'll have another one like him. But he's real with the things he can do."
At 6-foot, 200 pounds, Jones has the ability to both run over and away from opposing defenders. Jones averages 6.14 yards per carry this season, good for third in the Pac-12 among players with 200 or more carries in 2017.
His combination of speed and power reminds Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano of a former central Ohio high school product that found great success in the Big Ten.
"I don't know if in my career I'll have another one like him. But he's real with the things he can do."– Tee Martin on coaching Ronald Jones II
"You know, it goes back a ways, he reminds me of Ki-Jana Carter. Ki-Jana was strong, and he was fast," Schiano, who coached at Penn State at the same time Carter played for the Nittany Lions. "So like you hit him, you bounce off him and then he’s gone. That’s going way back now.
"He has a gift," Schiano added. "Right before contact – and I’ve only seen a few running backs in my career that can do this – right before contact, he has a special way of whether it’s bearing down on the opposite leg or whatever you want to call it where he runs through physically, runs through the tackle, he lifts that leg just a little bit higher or a little bit stronger and I think that’s unique."
In order to slow down an offense like USC's, which puts up nearly 500 yards per game, the key will be making sure Jones doesn't get chunk yardage on first and seconds downs.
Even though Darnold is the big name, slowing Jones could be the main component of shutting down the Trojan offensive attack.
"If we let them run the ball, then the passing game is going to be more effective," Ohio State defensive end Sam Hubbard said Wednesday. "If we shut down the run and can get after Darnold, that will really make them one-dimensional. That is how we have to win this game. It really all starts with stopping the run."
When comparing Jones to running backs Ohio State has already played this season, defensive line coach Larry Johnson told his players that Jones will be the best the Buckeyes have played since Barkley.
If the Buckeyes can put together one more standout performance against a premier running back, it very well could result in an Ohio State victory to close the 2017 campaign.
“Coach J told us he is going to be one of the best along with Saquon probably," sophomore defensive end Nick Bosa said Wednesday. "He is one of the most talented running backs we will play. He was a track guy, so he is really fast and a pretty big dude. We just have to bottle him up. We have done pretty well with that this year.”
