Buckeyes RB Room in 2023: 'The More The Merrier!' - Tony Alford
Ohio State Buckeyes running backs coach Tony Alford had his hands full last season. After much of the attention heading into fall ball in 2022 was on Miyan Williams, TreVeyon Henderson and Evan Pryor, it was Dallan Hayden who took most of the carries as the team played in the College Football Playoff.
Hayden carried the ball 12 times for 43 yards in the loss to Georgia after receiving very little attention before the season began.
“I bet if you asked Dallan Hayden when he came in here in June, he probably didn't think he was going to play very much with the guys who were ahead of them,” Alford said last month. “And lo and behold, there he is in critical situations playing in the game. But it's just a testament to show that you have to be prepared at all times, and to get yourself ready to play and compete every single day.”
Injuries are what forced Hayden into the lineup, and he took advantage. He played in all but three games for the Buckeyes and finished third on the team with 111 carries, third in rushing yards with 553, and third in rushing touchdowns with five, behind Williams and Henderson.
Williams, Henderson, and Pryor all got hurt during the season, and Pryor missed the entire 2022 campaign after a knee injury in fall camp. Because of the lack of depth, linebacker Chip Trayanum was moved to running back, carrying the ball 12 times.
For 2023? All five running backs will return, including Trayanum, who will remain on offense. But Alford doesn't think it's too many.
“I think the more the merrier, right? I mean, it's like a kid at Christmas,” he said, “the more presents you got, the better, right? But no, it is what it is. We needed every bit of depth that we could have last year. Hopefully, that doesn't repeat itself, but it's always good to have depth, and competition makes everybody rise. So I think it's a good situation to be in.”
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