Last year it was cut and dry.
J.K. Dobbins was the bellcow running back for Ohio State, and thus, the de facto leader of the position room.
This year though, it’s not as simple. Redshirt sophomore running back Master Teague is the returning player with the most production for the Buckeyes a season ago, but he’s never been a starter.
Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon has the most experience, having played significant minutes dating back to his true freshman season with the Sooners, but his limited time in the Buckeye running back room makes his status as a vocal leader of the group questionable at this point.
Much like the rotation of running backs on the field this season, defining who the leader is might still be an ongoing development, and could shift as the year progresses.
“Right now I’d probably say Master, but [Xavier Johnson] speaks up a lot,” Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford said Tuesday. “His personality is lending itself to that because he’s become more comfortable in our room, and he knows he’s gained a lot of respect from his teammates. Not just his coaches, but his teammates. So he speaks up quite a bit.”
If Johnson seems like a surprising name to be mentioned in that conversation, it’s because the junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a walk-on that has worked out at a number of positions in his time at Ohio State.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound athlete has played defensive back and wide receiver at times, but his name has now come up in media appearances by both Alford and Ohio State head coach Ryan Day as of late.
It may not be all that likely that he steals a ton of touches from Teague and Sermon, but Alford said he feels comfortable putting Johnson on the field, and with the uncertainties of COVID-19, all depth is welcome for the Buckeyes.
It’s not surprising that Alford is leaning toward Teague as the leader of the group, even if he has not yet earned the distinction of team captain entering his third year in the program. Prior to his Achilles injury in the spring, Teague seemed the surefire heir to Dobbins’ role as the Buckeye starter.
“I would say that Master is probably the one that everyone kind of looks to to say, ‘Hey, what about this?’ Because he’s the elder statesman of the room, if you will, as far as the length of time in that room with me,” Alford said.
However, Sermon was the highest-rated prospect out of high school among Buckeye backs (unless you count on-again-off-again running back Demario McCall), and many expect him to split carries with Teague this season.
Alford said it’s taken Sermon some time to figure out where he fits as a new addition to the team, but that he is starting to emerge more as a vocal leader himself.
“In all reality, Trey is starting to kind of come out now. You got to understand, Trey has played more football than anyone in that room,” Alford said. “He really has. And so with that comes a vast knowledge of college football and the speed of the game and what comes with that.”
Alford said he tries to give everyone in the room a platform to speak up and lead in their own way, but it could be the case that the best stage on which to grab the reins as leader at the position will be the Oct. 24 season opener and beyond for Ohio State’s running back group.
