Spring Recap: Running Backs Look Talented Despite Lack Of Experience

With spring football now in the rearview mirror for Ohio State, it’s time to look back at what happened with each position group and where things currently stand for the Buckeyes. We continue our series with the running backs.

Quick Position Overview

The Buckeyes have an interesting mix of running backs, as the most experienced member of the room is transfer CJ Donaldson from West Virginia. James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon are second-year guys, while three true freshmen will be on campus this season as well. Of those three, Bo Jackson and Isaiah West have been on campus since the winter. Turbo Rogers will arrive in the summer.

Expectations Going In

The expectations going in were that James Peoples was going to be the leader of the room and CJ Donaldson was going to work his way into the fold and prove himself along the way. Sam Williams-Dixon’s return from the transfer portal meant he would have something extra to show to the coaches. Excitement was high for Bo Jackson.

Reality Coming Out

Isaiah West wasn’t able to do much this spring due to injury, but he was still able to acclimate to life as a Buckeye. James Peoples established himself as the leader of the room and CJ Donaldson has fit in just as running backs coach Carlos Locklyn expected he would. Bo Jackson and Sam Williams-Dixon showed playmaking ability — or at least as much as can be shown during the spring.

Any Surprises?

Every head coach is going to tell you that it’s difficult to get a perfect read on your running backs until everything is live, but that doesn’t stop coaches from speaking out when they see something they like. Bo Jackson has been the recipient of a lot of positive vibes from the Ohio State coaches since he arrived in January. At any given practice this spring, Carlos Locklyn could be heard giving positive feedback to Jackson based on a rep or ball security or whatever. Locklyn doesn’t give that stuff out for free. Jackson has earned his kudos this spring. It’s not a surprise that he has made plays, but it’s a little surprising how effusive everyone has been in their praise. That just doesn’t happen for most true freshmen.

Unanswered Question

Isaiah West was held out this spring while he dealt with a minor injury, so he didn’t really get to show what he can do. The question now becomes how much missing spring will set him back. He’ll be healthy, but he’s going to have to make up for lost time. He still got to be at practices and in the position room, so fall camp won’t be a new experience for him. But it would have been nice to see him in the mix this spring.

So Now What?

So now Carlos Locklyn waits for Turbo Rogers to get here in June. Rogers spent his junior and senior seasons working as much in the slot as the backfield, but Locklyn is confident that Rogers will get back to running the ball just fine. He will start out fall camp behind everybody, but he’s a different kind of back (5-8 190) than anybody else on this roster.

One Concern

Nobody on this team has done it like it needs to be done at Ohio State. CJ Donaldson has rushed for over 2,000 yards in his career, but he’s done it at West Virginia. James Peoples was a true freshman last year who was called upon to play when games were over. And those are the two most-experienced options for the Buckeyes. Things should be just fine, but as Ryan Day always says, you never really know until you see players do it in a game.

Are We Sure?

Are we sure the lack of experience is really that much of a concern? Not to contradict myself, but when James Peoples carries the ball just twice in the spring game, that kind of gives you an idea of what the coaches think of him. Limited carries are generally reserved for the known quantities. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins each had four carries in last year’s spring game, for instance. Miyan Williams had four carries in 2023. (Archie Griffin only had one!) In 2022, Henderson had just three carries. If there was a concern about about Peoples or Donaldson, then history suggests they would have carried the ball more than a combined six times this past Saturday.

Quotable

“I think James has a chance to be a special back, but still just hasn’t played a whole bunch of football. But he’s got great energy. He’s really mature.
He’s very coachable. He’s seen the way it’s supposed to look. He knows what the standard is.” — Head coach Ryan Day on James Peoples following the spring game.