Year Two On Deck, James Peoples Knows His Time Is Coming

It’s not often that a true freshman has an opportunity to learn from watching two of the best in the game, but that’s what running back James Peoples’ first season at Ohio State consisted of last year thanks to upperclassmen TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.

Henderson and Judkins — and their combined 7,500 rushing yards — are now off to the NFL, but they left behind a blueprint for success. Peoples saw first-hand what it takes to play at this level. He also saw first-hand what it is like to be pushed by running backs coach Carlos Locklyn.

The freshman year can be overwhelming, but Peoples had the support of those around him, and he put it all to good use.

“Well, I mean, I’m coming in to a level that I’ve never been at, so I had to learn a lot,” Peoples said in the days leading up to January’s Rose Bowl. “It’s just been a humbling experience, you know, being able to grow and learn from the older guys. Just taking everything in. I feel like a sponge, just taking in all the information I can.

“You’ve got two of the best running backs in college football right now to learn from. You’ve got to take that as a blessing. They’re outstanding people, outstanding players, and you watch the things that they do in practice and how they perform in games, and you look at it like, ‘Okay, seeing them do it, my time’s coming.'”

Peoples carried the ball 49 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns last year. He won the third-string job and valued his role last year and his accomplishments. He came to Ohio State as a High School All-American and one of the top running back prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Expectations are always high for players like Peoples, but situations are different for everybody. No true freshman was going to come into Ohio State’s running back room last season and take over. It was something Peoples had to come to terms with, but he never let it slow him down.

But had the Buckeyes needed Peoples more last year, Carlos Locklyn wouldn’t have had an issue putting him in the game.

“I never look at James being the number three back,” Locklyn told Buckeye Huddle prior to the Rose Bowl. “If one of those other backs go down, I’ll put him right in. This is the thing that society often does with these young five and four-star kids that come out of high school. We live in a microwave society. And these kids, you see them, they want to get in right now. And I tell James all the time that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Remember these days. When you’re getting reps, you’re watching Q, you’re watching Trey. I’ve got total confidence in him. I think he’s going to be a really great player, but it’s a process.”

Those words definitely took root for Peoples, who said the biggest lesson for him as a true freshman was “Patience, patience, patience.” Expectations have to take a back seat to reality, but the back seat gets to the same destination as the front seat with proper direction.

James Peoples came into Ohio State as a true freshman running back playing behind two running backs who had each starred for their respective teams as freshmen. His path has been different, which is something that Locklyn has stressed with all of his players.

“Everybody’s race is different,” Locklyn said. “Run your race. The race that those two had set before them, they got a chance to play, that’s their race. It’s not your race. Run your race. When your time comes, when you’re ready, you’ll be ready to go. Don’t worry about what somebody else is doing. Just run your race.”

James Peoples is now the leading returning rusher for the Buckeyes. Locklyn added West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson, who is a senior with over 2,000 yards rushing to his credit. Redshirt freshman Sam Williams-Dixon also returns after carrying the ball seven times last year. The Buckeyes also signed a trio of freshman running backs in the 2025 class.

Peoples called last year “a blessing” being able to learn from TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. Now he’s going to have an opportunity to show everybody what he’s learned.

He’s also going to have an opportunity to show everybody what he’s earned.

“I think he’s going to be good,” Locklyn said. “But like I tell all the backs that I bring in here, even the three freshmen, ‘Oh, I’m going to get two others to make sure y’all don’t play.’ I tell James the same thing. That’s y’all’s job to make sure y’all play. I’m going after the best ones. Competition breeds success.

“I love what Woody Hayes once said. He said, ‘If you give a man something he didn’t earn, it cheapens him.’ Well, I ain’t going to cheapen you. You’re going to have to earn it.”

Go to discussion...