'Running Hard!': Ryan Day Provides Promising Update On New-Look Ohio State Buckeyes Running Back Room

The Ohio State Buckeyes might have one of the deepest running back rooms in the country in 2024

Mar 7, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) takes a hand / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

Ryan Day has spent most of his spring working with the running backs amid the departure of Tony Alford to Michigan and has come away pleased with not just the starting tandem of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.

The veteran Ohio State coach is also content with the depth of the position headlined by Dallan Hayden.

"All the running backs have run hard this spring,” Day said Saturday. “I think that they're seeing a little bit of the different schemes that we're doing – not that they're that much different, but just a little bit different – and they're picking that up well.”

Everyone in Columbus knows how dangerous Henderson is when healthy. In 10 games, the junior averaged nearly six yards per carry and totaled 11 touchdowns as the Buckeyes' lead back.

Day, however, has been impressed with Henderson's leadership and attentiveness to the playbook. He's also been enamored by Judkins' ability to enter a crowded backfield and still stand out.

Judkins, who joins the Buckeyes after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Ole Miss, needed six practices before having his black stripe removed.

"Quinshon’s done a really good job coming in," said Day.

The tandem should split carries in 2024 as the backbone of Ohio State's offense. Last season, the duo combined for over 2,000 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns while helping their respective programs total 11 wins.

Mar 5, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) talks to / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

But in college football, especially when trying to contend for the 12-team playoff, depth is of the utmost importance. Hayden should take over as the full-time No. 3 back with Chip Trayanum and Myian Williams gone after being relegated to the No. 4 spot over the past two seasons.

Based on Day's comments, Hayden has proven his value as a part of the rotation rather than just another backup through spring practice.

"Dallan Hayden’s had a really good spring,” Day said.

From a depth standpoint, the Buckeyes should feel content entering the spring game later this month. Both freshmen James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon stood out during drills in Saturday's scrimmage and continue to catch Day's eye when given reps.

“It's great to see both James and Sam coming in as freshmen and picking it up quickly," said Day. "You can see both of them, they have talent."

Day, who enters a crucial year with the program after three consecutive losses to Michigan, soon will be back to his old job of running the daily operations on campus. It was reported late Sunday evening that Ohio State plans to hire Oregon running backs coach Carlos Locklyn.

Locklyn, who previously spent time on Western Kentucky's staff, just helped the Ducks average 184.5 rushing yards per game. Last season, Oregon led the Pac-12 in rushing touchdowns with 33 scores. The Ducks also finished third nationally in yards per game (5.9) behind LSU (6.2) and Liberty (6.1).

Day said from the jump he wasn't planning to rush the hiring, knowing spring practice took priority over the move, but he also envisioned the next coach to be fired up to begin work given the amount of talent found on all three levels.

“I'm excited about all of them, and I think it's a deep room," said Day earlier this offseason. "I'd like to think it's the best room in terms of talent in the country. We're going to continue to build on that.”