Freshman Running Backs James Peoples, Sam Williams-Dixon Must 'Step Up'

When Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his coaching staff are putting a roster together, they have an ideal number of scholarship players at each position.

The number at running back is five, yet this year they will be taking the field with just four. Four would have been fine if third-year walk-on tailback TC Caffey hadn’t been lost for the season due to injury. To make matters a little more concerning, half of those four consist of true freshmen James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon. Both are very talented players, but neither have ever played in a college football game before.

Day has also mentioned emergency options like safety Caleb Downs and receiver Brandon Inniss, but the real answer in backing up veteran starters TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins will be the freshmen. Which means they have to get ready.

“We have come up with some candidates and contingency plans in place if something were to happen,” Day said recently. “But I think the bottom line is James and Sam have got to do a great job. We’ve got to be able to put those guys in the game. I think that’s really important.”

Fall camp has seen the two rookies have outstanding moments, which is a great sign for the very near future.

“We can’t waste any time with the young guys,” Day said. “They’ve got to step up and get ready to get in the game.”

Getting them ready is running backs coach Carlos Locklyn’s job. Having veterans like Henderson and Judkins on hand to help is a blessing as well. Both players earned starting roles as true freshmen, but not initially. They both had their own experiences as freshmen running backs, and those experiences can provide a wealth of advice for Peoples and Williams-Dixon.

But the reps in practice and in the games will be the ultimate tell on how ready they are. The catch-22 at times, however, is that coaches want players to be game-ready before they play, but playing in a game is the best way to get them ready for the next one.

Of course, the next game that Sam Williams-Dixon and James Peoples play in will be their first, so there is a little bit of an unknown as to how they will react. Locklyn was recently asked how comfortable he would feel if he needed to play the freshmen at a critical time in a game.

“You just used the word comfortable. Me, I ain’t never comfortable,” Locklyn said. “I live my life being uncomfortable. I’m confident that they’ll get the job done. You know why? Because I’m confident in me. So I’ve got confidence in them, so they’ll be able to get the job done.”

Both running backs have made big plays in camp, but they will be called on to do more than just run the ball. As Locklyn says, he isn’t recruiting dinosaurs. Pass blocking is a must. Running routes, carrying out fakes, ball placement, elbow height, eye level, all of the teaching points that coaches focus on can be a lot to keep up with for a freshman.

But they’re doing it

“They’ve made tremendous growth. Obviously, they got the talent, but now it’s just creating the mindset,” Locklyn said. “I tell the players all the time, ‘You’re going to take on my mindset.’ If you’ve been out there watching us work, they work. They know they’re going to hear my voice. From the time I get here at 4:30 in the morning, I start working out and I see them, they hear my voice.

“I tell coaches all the time, if you have a player playing soft, missing assignments, that’s on you. When Coach Day says something about a back, I take it personally. Why? Because that’s on me. Don’t yell at the kid. Get on the coach. Get on me.”

So far, it doesn’t seem like there has been much reason for Day or offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to “get on” Locklyn. His players have embraced a growth mindset and it shows with every new practice.

The Buckeyes open their season in less than three weeks. James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon should be ready.

What will Ohio State fans see from them when they finally get their opportunities?

“Tough, physical runners. Slashers. Good hands. Willing pass protectors,” Locklyn said. “Of course, they were here before I got here, but like I said, both of the kids have been a joy to work with. Like I tell the kids all the time, you’re going to take on my mindset regardless because I’m going to attack you every day.”