Buckeyes set to run more in 2022

It might be hard to imagine an Ohio State offense this season where they throw the ball less and run the ball more.

After quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba went ballistic and set all kinds of records last year, you're probably scratching your head at the notion of them not coming out and letting Stroud sling the rock all over the field on the way to a Heisman while Smith-Njigba easily glides his way toward the Biletnikoff Award.

However, if head coach Ryan Day and running backs coach Tony Alford get their way, that’s not exactly what is going to happen.

“Offensively, it’s just the balance. The balance of the run game and throwing the football,” said Day on Thursday after the first practice of the season was complete.

Alford has high expectations for his group this year, even as young as some of them are.

“They’re veteran guys, they’ve been around. I’m asking them to be pros on the way they approach their business, the way they go to meetings, walk-throughs and practice,” he said on Friday after the team’s second practice.

Those expectations are why he feels his guys are ready to take on some more of the load.

Returning are true sophomore starter TreVeyon Henderson, third-year Miyan Williams and redshirt freshman Evan Pryor, who are considered the veterans of the room.

Henderson led the team with 1,248 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground and finished fourth on the team in both receptions (27), receiving yards (312) and receiving TD’s (4). The rushing yards rank second all-time at OSU in a single season for a freshman and the 19 total scores rank eighth overall for a single season while finishing tied-for second in the country with 6.8 yards per carry. His efforts earned him Freshman All-American by ESPN, The Athletic, 247Sports and Pro Football Focus.

He said the competition has been stout, which has been good for their further development.

“We compete each and every day in almost everything we do. One thing that keeps all of us going is what coach Alford says, ‘never waste a day.’”

Henderson said that motto has stuck with him whether it’s making the most out of each practice or making it on time to meetings.

“I just make sure I’m on top of things and that’s what keeps me motivated and keep me going. The room is very competitive and I feel like we make each other better in so many ways."

Williams comes back for his third year and finished second last year in carries and yards with 71 for 508. He had two 100-yard games and scored three touchdowns, including a career-high 71-yarder in the season opener against Minnesota where he finished with 125 yards for the game. His other 100-yardperformance came against Purdue with 117.

He said he wants to be an integral part of the offense but ultimately, it all comes down to what happens at the end of the year.

“We’re just trying to win the natty, that’s my goal right now. The first game, win every game of the season, beat the team up north, get the Big Ten (championship) and win the natty. We all feel like we’ve got the best running back room (in the country) so we got to run the ball.”

Pryor was a four-star out of William Amos Hough (Cornelius, N.C.) High School last year and ranked as the nation’s No. 2 all-purpose back. He played in four games last season before being redshirted, tallying 98 yards on 21 carries with one touchdown.

He felt he didn’t get any “meaningful minutes” last year and he’s out to prove why he shouldn’t make the coaches think twice about putting him in the game when it matters.

“I came into this spring hungry and I’ve come into fall camp hungry as well. I didn’t play any real football in terms of any meaningful minutes in a game or anything so that’s still on the front of my mind is being able to impact the game, for my teammates.”

Also coming in this year is true freshman Dallan Hayden, a four-star out of Memphis, Tenn. who was the state’s Division II-AAA West offensive player of the year last year after rushing for 2,002 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Obviously, the Buckeyes are rich and explosive in talent. And even though they might still be a little wet behind the ears, Alford doesn’t think so.

“Be pros and continue to get better. But I love the room I’ve got.”

Day said he told them to be patient and they will see their fair share of reps.

“I told those guys, let your reps speak for you. Don’t start worrying about where you are in terms of depth chart or what (number of) reps am I getting. You’re going to get plenty of reps in the preseason, make sure you make them count.”

Alford said he wants to see a tight race right up until the starters are announced.

“Quite frankly, I hope there’s not a whole lot of separation, I mean we’ve got some really good guys. Not one guy is heads and tails above someone else.”

As much as they’re splitting the reps as evenly as possible, even though they’re only through two days of practice, Alford said he doesn’t have a crystal ball as to who will be the man to tote the majority of the rock come week 1 against Notre Dame.

“That will play itself out as we move forward. We’re not in pads right now, we’re in shorts, so for a running back it’s about, are you in the right place? (Are your) tracks right, your eye progression right? Are you taking care of the football, even in shorts? But we’ll see, that’ll play itself out. I don’t have a crystal ball and I say the same thing every year, I get asked the same question every year and it’s going to be the same answer every year. But those guys all deserve to play so I got to make sure they’re all ready to play because they have all shown the capacity and ability to make them play winning football.”

Day said ultimately, it’s going to come down to whether or not the coaching staff feels like they’re ready for game time.

“Is this person game ready? Can this guy help us beat Notre Dame? If he can, then let’s let him go play. And then there’s just the journey of the season and that’s important to have depth at all positions. But we’re going to split those reps up and give those guys the opportunity to compete.”