Ohio State’s running back depth has taken another hit.
Eleven Warriors confirmed Friday that walk-on running back TC Caffey has been sidelined by a knee injury suffered during offseason workouts. While helping out at the Special Skills Football Invitational at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Friday, Caffey was walking around but wearing a brace and a sleeve on his right knee.
Ohio State has not confirmed the severity of his injury or a timetable for his return, but Bucknuts’ Dave Biddle reported Thursday that Caffey is expected to miss the 2024 season.
Despite his walk-on status, Caffey was in the mix for playing time behind TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. Freshmen James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon are the only other scholarship running backs on Ohio State’s current roster after Dallan Hayden transferred to Colorado, and Ryan Day voiced plans this spring to use Caffey this season.
“The other guy who’s been very, very good in there and I think is going to play for us and get carries for us is TC Caffey,” Day said. “He's done a very good job, he's very disciplined in his approach and he’s a guy that can really bring value for us.”
Caffey made something of a name for himself with an eye-popping 49-yard touchdown run against Toledo in 2022, finishing that campaign with 10 carries for 66 yards and that score.
Caffey's progress was halted by a torn ACL that October, however. He missed the rest of that season and didn't see the field in 2023 as he missed most of the offseason and was buried on the depth chart behind five scholarship running backs.
Now, Caffey will have to work his way back from another major knee injury. A redshirt sophomore, Caffey has two more years of collegiate eligibility to play in 2025 and 2026.
With Caffey gone for the year, Ohio State will have to rely on one of its freshman ball carriers should Henderson or Judkins be unavailable on a given gameday. Safety Caleb Downs has also been referenced by Day as a potential option to provide depth at running back, though it’s uncertain how much the Buckeyes will want to lean on a starting safety to play on offense.
Andy Anders contributed to this article.
