It’s been three straight years that at least three Ohio State running backs have had at least 49 carries over the course of the season.
Just two years ago, TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams and Dallan Hayden each hit triple-digits in attempts. Williams was on pace to join Henderson and Chip Trayanum in surpassing that benchmark again in 2023, but an injury cut his season short after just six games.
Bottom line: Even with Henderson and Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins, the most star-studded running back tandem in the country, topping the depth chart, the Buckeyes are going to need at least three viable options at the position. That’s the nature of a spot that takes a ton of punishment as games progress.
That need nearly doubles with the potential for a 16- or 17-game season. That’s why it was important for Ohio State’s coaching staff to see James Peoples, Sam Williams-Dixon and even walk-on TC Caffey have productive spring games after Hayden transferred out of the program this spring.
“I thought Sam did some really good things today,” offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “TC is another guy who really came along during the spring. And we’re constantly talking in our staff meetings about depth. We’re very cognizant of the fact that the playoff situation has changed, so you have to develop that depth. It used to be maybe you have a pair and a spare, but I think you may have to have more than that.”
Peoples’ shift and burst were on full display on Saturday, making it evident why the freshman is the current frontrunner to stake claim to the No. 3 spot on the depth chart. He picked up 40 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries and added three receptions for 23 yards, the most catches by any Buckeye running back in the spring game.
Entering Columbus as a four-star prospect ranked No. 114 overall and No. 8 at running back in the 247Sports composite in 2024, Kelly has been impressed with the native Texan even as he’s put those ratings aside.
“James really flashed early for me, not knowing where (the players’) background is, where they’re from, who they are, this guy had this stars, this guy had that stars, they’re all Buckeyes,” Kelly said. “I think James has got really good feel and vision. He can hit things.”
Fellow freshman Williams-Dixon had the most productive day of all Ohio State’s running backs, gobbling up 78 yards in 11 carries with a 22-yard touchdown on an inside zone play.
Sam Williams-Dixon has some wheels. pic.twitter.com/TqtFWApH7z
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 13, 2024
The youngster got a touch overzealous for running back coach Carlos Locklyn’s liking following the play, spinning the football to the ground in celebration. That aside, he showed the upside that Ohio State liked despite his three-star recruiting rating.
“Young guy scores a touchdown in the Shoe, he kind of blocks out everything,” left guard Donovan Jackson said. “Coach Lock was calling his name, trying to get his attention back to get some coaching. It was nothing too crazy. Coach Lock said, ‘We hand the ball to the ref around here.’ Obviously, it’s a great thing for him, scoring a touchdown. It’s a great thing, everybody wanted to see him score, but I guess it turned back into some coaching.”
Consider Jackson among those who’ve been impressed with the freshman duo overall. He feels a lot of confidence about the depth of those carrying the ball behind him and the rest of Ohio State’s offensive line.
“From the young guys all the way to the old guys,” Jackson said. “Sam obviously had a great day, Sam and James had a great day today. Trey and Q were on a snap count, but they had a great day as well. We did a lot of good things with the inside zones, we did a great job today but lots of things we need to clean up on. Personally, lots to clean up on. But that’s the fun part.”
That leaves Caffey, who had a quieter day with five carries for 16 yards but paced the team’s running backs in receiving yards with 26 on two catches.
Caffey didn’t get any carries behind a deep room of five scholarship backs in 2023 but made waves with an electric 49-yard touchdown run against Toledo in 2022 before an injury cut his campaign short.
Ryan Day stated before the spring game that Caffey “will play” and “get carries” for Ohio State in 2024.
Overall Ohio State’s running game is trying to make progress in its first year under Kelly’s coordination. While Henderson hit on his share of big plays en route to averaging 5.9 yards per carry, as a team the Buckeyes ranked 73rd nationally with 4.2 yards per attempt and 88th with 138.8 rushing yards per game.
“The one thing that I think sometimes makes it tough from an evaluation (standpoint) is what a good front we run against,” Kelly said. “So for 15 practices, those guys on the other side of the ball were a pain. Jack and JT and Tyleik and those guys. But I know come fall, there’s not gonna be anybody more happy that we have those guys on the defensive side of the ball because of what we can do. ... I think the work we got against such a quality defense was key for us.”
Ohio State has been involving the quarterbacks more on the ground in an effort to open things up as well, with 12 carries for 90 yards excluding sacks from the team’s signal callers in the spring game.
“Today we were doing some open-sight reading of the defensive end,” Day said. “If the defense decides they’re gonna crash and make the quarterback run the ball, then that’s their decision. We also know if that’s going on too much, we have ways to handle that. Bring a tight end over to block them to make sure the running backs are getting enough carries. It just depends on the design of the play.”
A transfer addition at running back for depth purposes is still possible for Ohio State as well, maybe in the form of an experienced hand from a smaller school like UMass’ Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, who is from the Buckeye State.
But barring that, this fall camp will be important for cultivating Peoples, Caffey and Williams-Dixon as options behind Henderson and Judkins. Spring practice, capped by the spring game, has them off to a strong start.
“I was really happy with how those young guys were able to come along here in the 15 training sessions that they had,” Kelly said.
