The T-formation? Yes, it’s back as small part of Ohio State offense in 2024
COLUMBUS — Ohio State opened the spring game with three tight ends and two running backs. One of those running backs, Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins, lined up at tailback for what initially appeared to be a direct snap, with tight end Patrick Gurd at his right hip. The other back, senior TreVeyon Henderson, lined up as a wingback adjacent to right tackle Josh Fryar but a step behind the line of scrimmage. Henderson was just about parallel with Kansas State grad transfer quarterback Will Howard, who was positioned behind right guard Carson Hinzman.
Then, poetry in motion.
Practically in unison, six Buckeyes players — everybody but the offensive line, in other words — reverse spun into formation. The T-formation, that is.
Tight end Jelani Thurman reverse 360’d and lined up alongside left tackle Josh Simmons. On the right side of the line, tight end Gee Scott Jr. did the same and set up shop alongside Fryar. Howard spun back inside so that he was under center.
At the same time, Gurd and Judkins spun to the left before they were joined by Henderson, who spun into the backfield to complete the “T.”
A symphony of whispers wandered the Ohio Stadium press box as Howard took the snap and handed off the ball to Henderson, who followed Gurd, the acting fullback, and Judkins for a modest, four-yard gain.
The reverse spin was reminiscent of a trick play the Kansas City Chiefs ran during a Super Bowl LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the 2019 NFL season.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who Kelly succeeded in Philadelphia back in 2013, dreamed up a similar choreography that resulted in a near-touchdown run for running back Damien Williams. Then-Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy later revealed that the play concept came from the 1948 Michigan-USC Rose Bowl.
But the spring-game-opening play wasn’t about the reverse spin.
Or the four-yard gain, of course.
New Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was asked postgame what inspired the play design.
“Mr. Hayes,” Kelly said with a slight smile.
“There’s a looming figure around this whole program. We get to go to work every day in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. So if it was good enough for Woody, we’re going to steal it. We’re going to do it.”
Hayes is one of the greatest college football coaches — scratch that. Hayes is one of the greatest football coaches, period. He orchestrated five runs to national titles at Ohio State, three consensus (1954, 1957 and 1968) and two non-consensus (1961 and 1970).
From 1951-78, Hayes won 205 games while authoring a Big Ten record of 152-37-7. Under his leadership, the Buckeyes claimed 13 league titles.
The T-formation flexed the power of Hayes’ most dominant backfields, such as a memorable group that featured fullback Pete Johnson, two-time Heisman Trophy-winning halfback Archie Griffin and wingback Brian Baschnagel.
Check out those three in the “T” during this 1975 Pasadena showdown between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 13 UCLA, which the Buckeyes won, 41-20 (although a loss to UCLA in the Rose Bowl later that season cost Ohio State a national title).
Both of those plays took place near the goal line. The T-formation, after all, is often used in short-yardage situations.
That’s when Kelly plans to use it at Ohio State.
“It’s a small part of our offense,” Kelly said. “We will not be in the ‘T’ 21 times in one game. But we may get it in some short-yardage situations.
“And I think it’s come back. There’s a lot of schools right now that are starting to do that. It’s really just you’ve got a half a yard to get, and you’re trying to get your big guys in the game.”
Kelly said he used the T-formation 21 snaps during his final season at UCLA. He also mentioned that his players Ohio State had a lot of fun practicing the formational wrinkle.
Soon-to-be third-year starting left guard Donovan Jackson can attest to that.
“It’s really fun,” Jackson said. “Going through walkthroughs, obviously I only get the run play — the inside, outside zone [designation] — but when we go back on film, we’re like, ‘Woah, we’re in the T-formation.’
“Everything’s a lot more fun, all the guys are buying in, all the guys are having a lot more fun. Coach Kelly brings his own juice to what we have already going on. And just every day, everyone improves off of it, so it’s really cool.”
Kelly made it clear the Buckeyes won’t be going single wing this season. The T-formation, however, will be one of several ways he adds his own flavor, or in this case historically-inspired creativity, to the Ohio State offense in 2024.
“There’s a lot of different things you can do in short yardage,” Kelly said of the “T,” “but [it’s] a little bit of a tribute to Coach Hayes and what he means to this program.”
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