For a new dimension to Ohio State’s offense, Urban Meyer didn’t have to look any further than the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers to find a new wrinkle.
Made famous by Colin Kaepernick’s outstanding postseason run, the 49ers made the ‘diamond’ formation a very effective set that made life for defenses even tougher to defend along with Kaepernick’s zone-read ability.
Trying to incorporate that offense in Meyer’s zone-read playbook almost seems like a perfect fit and he has started to add it to the Buckeyes’ arsenal throughout the spring.
The ‘diamond’ formation is similar to the full house with three backs in the backfield, but instead of the quarterback lining up under center, he lines up in the pistol, only a couple of yards behind the line of scrimmage.
The Buckeyes finished last season ranked No. 10 in rushing yards per game behind an outstanding season from QB Braxton Miller and blossoming talent like Carlos Hyde, who fell a few yards shy of 1,000 a year ago.
OSU has four running backs back from last season who scored a rushing touchdown, plus the additions of redshirt freshman Warren Ball and highly-touted freshmen Dontre Wilson and Ezekiel Elliott to the mix.
Running the ‘diamond’ allows Meyer and offensive coordinator Tom Herman to put three backs in the backfield with Miller. The key to this is that OSU has multiple types of runners from power backs like Hyde and Rod Smith to smaller, shiftier backs like Jordan Hall.
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