COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Dwayne Haskins threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday’s game at Maryland. In the process, he broke Ohio State’s single-season records for both passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Even so, Haskins’ passing arguably wasn’t the part of his game that stood out the most on Saturday.
For the first 10 games of Ohio State’s season, Haskins was a clear-cut pass-first quarterback, never running for more than 24 yards in a game (which came in the season opener against Oregon State) and for only one touchdown. As effective as he was passing the ball, his lack of success running the ball was an impediment to the Buckeyes’ offense, since opposing defenses did not have the respect the threat of a running quarterback on option plays.
On Saturday, though, Haskins’ legs finally became a legitimate weapon for the Buckeyes’ offense. He ran 15 times for 59 yards – both career-highs – and three touchdowns, including the game-winning 5-yard touchdown in Ohio State’s 52-51 overtime win.
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, whose affinity for dual-threat quarterbacks – from Tim Tebow to Braxton Miller to J.T. Barrett – has been well-established, loved what he saw from Haskins on Saturday.
“What was missing was the toughness element to pull the ball down and run and go get you yards, and he did that today,” Meyer said of Haskins. “I thought that’s the best he’s done. He pulled it in on the read play and he dropped his pads, and he has to do that. And he’s been willing, and we’re now going to give him those opportunities.”
After being pulled in favor of Tate Martell for six plays in last week’s 26-6 win over Michigan State because of Martell’s running ability, Haskins acknowledged that it was frustrating to be taken out of the game. The Buckeyes still brought Martell in for two plays at Maryland, but Haskins proved to be Ohio State’s best running quarterback on Saturday – Martell gained just one yard, coming up short on a 3rd-and-2, on his only rushing attempt of the game – and he expects to continue using his legs to make plays going forward.
“I knew I was going to run the ball today,” Haskins said. “Three touchdowns? Surprisingly, no, I didn’t think that was going to happen. But running’s fun actually, so I’m going to do a little bit more.”
“He’s been willing, and we’re now going to give him those opportunities.”– Urban Meyer on Dwayne Haskins running the ball
Surely, Haskins felt like he had a point to prove – that he could run the ball – after being taken out of last week’s game. But Haskins also revealed after the game that playing against Maryland – his home-state school, and where he originally committed to play during his high school career at the Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland – gave him extra motivation to prove he could run the ball, too.
“Being back home, having those guys talk a little smack to me,” Haskins said, “I can run, just today was the first day I wanted to show I could.”
The other motivation, of course, was that the Buckeyes needed him to make plays – a lot of plays – on a day they gave up 51 points, and he delivered. Between his passing and rushing outputs, Haskins accounted for 464 of Ohio State’s 688 total yards – the Buckeyes’ highest total ever in a Big Ten game – and six of the team’s seven touchdowns.
Haskins didn’t have his best game as a passer – he threw a pick-six, and got away with a few other near-interceptions – but when the game was on the line, he made the plays he needed to make to lead the Buckeyes.
That was enough to make a big impression on Meyer, who had said all season that he wanted to see Haskins continue to grow as a leader.
“He needed to take that step,” Meyer said. “His leadership was great. He’s getting better and better at that.”
