A wide smile flashed across Dontre Wilson’s face, and Ohio State’s talented — but often injured — senior offensive weapon perked up a bit in his chair. Wilson was asked how he envisioned the Buckeyes’ coaching staff would use both he and Curtis Samuel this season and couldn’t help but express his excitement.
“I think we’re going to be used in a whole bunch of ways, for real,” Wilson said, nearly grinning ear to ear.
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has stated on more than one occasion the Buckeyes intend to line both Samuel and Wilson up at running back this season in addition to slot wide receiver. Both are dynamic players who have an ability to break a game open at any point and finding creative ways to get each the ball will be vital to Ohio State’s success on offense this season.
Redshirt freshman Mike Weber figures to be the primary ball carrier at running back for the Buckeyes. He’s more of the traditional, between-the-tackles type runner Ohio State has had the last few seasons with Carlos Hyde and Ezekiel Elliott. But Samuel and Wilson can add another dimension to the Buckeyes’ ground game as a change of pace out of the backfield.
“Me and [Samuel], we pretty much bring a different dynamic when it comes to running back,” Wilson said.
Samuel spent most of his time at running back behind Elliott during Ohio State’s national championship season in 2014. He recorded 58 carries for 383 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman before moving to wide receiver last season after Elliott emerged as a dominant threat in the run game. Samuel’s production dwindled a bit, however, as he carried the ball just 17 times for 132 yards and recorded 22 catches for 289 yards in 2015.
After coming to Columbus as a highly-coveted recruit, Wilson has spent a good portion of the last three years on the sidelines due to various injuries. He played in nine games last season and recorded just seven catches for 63 yards. Wilson said Sunday he finally feels 100 percent and, “I just hope that I stay like that.”
In an effort to get more production from both, Meyer wants to get them involved in the running game by lining each up in the backfield in addition to working with the wide receivers.
“I think that can work pretty well,” Samuel said. “Whether it’s me and Dontre, or whoever is in the backfield, we can both run outside and we’ve both got heart to run through the middle of the line. Defenses can’t just say, ‘Oh, he’s the inside runner and he’s the outside runner.’”
In brief portions of practice open to the media early in fall camp, Wilson and Samuel worked with both the wide receivers and running backs. That figures to be how things are going to be this season, as well, even though it's still a mystery how much exactly each will be used.
But make no mistake about it: Wilson and Samuel are hopeful to see their roles expand.
“I think we’ll make a lot of plays,” Wilson said. “I feel like coach Meyer is doing it because me and [Samuel], I’ll say are the two best athletes on the offensive side, so I feel like he needs us to make a lot of those plays. He doesn’t need us to come off the field so I’m with it.”
