Three records Buckeyes running backs could break this season
COLUMBUS — Ohio State might need to dust off the record book and update it in a big way after this season because of its ground game.
Lettermen Row is putting the one final, finishing touch on Running Back Week, and we’re breaking down three records that could fall this year. Let’s break it down.
Most games with two 100-yard rushers in single season
Record: 5 (Carlos Hyde and Braxton Miller in 2013 and Archie Griffin and Pete Johnson/Cornelius Greene in 1975)
Why it’s in jeopardy: Because Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson form the best running back tandem at Ohio State since JK Dobbins and Mike Weber in 2018 — and potentially since Antonio Pittman and Beanie Wells in 2006. Both Judkins, the two-time All-SEC back at Ole Miss during the last two years, and Henderson have 1,000-yard seasons under their belts and are plenty proven. If they plan to both go over 1,000 yards this season, they’ll certainly need to have multiple games in which they both top 100 yards. Couple that with the fact that they could play 16 or 17 games, more than any other running backs in program history, and the Buckeyes could see the record of five games with multiple players over 100 yards in a single season fall — with relative ease. This might be the most likely record to be broken by the Ohio State backfield this season.
Even if they don’t do it by themselves, they could see Buckeyes teammate and potential starting quarterback Will Howard top 100 yards to help them set the new record this fall. Howard had two 100-yard rushing games during his career at Kansas State and could have a big year on the ground for the Buckeyes.
More history than record: Three players with 100+ rushing yards in a game
Record: It’s been done five times in Ohio State history — and only once in the 21st century (2011)
Why it could happen: For all the same reasons we talked about above. If there’s a Saturday in the fall in which the Ohio State ground game really starts humming, this could happen. Either Henderson or Judkins top 100 yards in any game, Howard breaks free on a few long runs to get over the century mark and then one of the backup tailbacks enters and has a good day as well. With how much the Buckeyes want to run the football, seeing them rack up yards and have three ball-carriers over the 100-yard mark isn’t out of the question. If that happens, it would be a historic occurrence, something that has only happened a few times in the history of Ohio State football.
Career yards per carry average (minimum 500 carries)
Record-holder: Ezekiel Elliott (6.7 yards per carry from 2013 to 2015)
Why it’s in jeopardy: TreVeyon Henderson has averaged 6.2 yards per carry during his first three seasons — across 446 carries. Henderson is splitting carries with Quinshon Judkins, meaning both will be more fresh than ever between times with the football. After averaging 6.8 yards per carry during his freshman campaign, Henderson has been held under 6 in each of the last two years — when he had injury issues. If he’s healthy all year, he’ll have a chance to go over 1,000 yards for the year and break Elliott’s record of 6.7 yards per carry for his entire career. Given what we’ve seen from Henderson during his first three years at full strength, he has a chance to do what Trey Sermon did in the 2020 season that was shortened by COVID-19, when he went over 7 yards per tote. Sermon, of course, doesn’t qualify for the record because he didn’t reach the carries requirement.
That record, currently held by Elliott, will be in serious jeopardy, even as Judkins takes plenty of the workload as well.
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