While quarterback J.T. Barrett has Ohio State flying high, it’s the play of running back Ezekiel Elliott that’s fueling the offense’s recent surge.
The 13th-ranked Buckeyes (4-1) have posted a trio of consecutive blowouts over Kent State, Cincinnati and Maryland. During that stretch, Ohio State has averaged 56 points and 623.7 total yards per game.
Barrett is garnering worthy attention for his fantastic play—the redshirt freshman has been named to the Maxwell Award watch list, according to Ohio State’s team spokesperson—but Elliott has taken his game to a higher level.
Because of that, the Buckeyes have bounced back from their upset loss to Virginia Tech and are climbing up the national rankings.
Here’s a closer look at Ohio State’s breakout sophomore ball-carrier.
Finding a Groove
After losing Carlos Hyde and his record-setting production to the NFL, Meyer and the Buckeyes were tasked with filling an enormous hole in the backfield.
Elliott put himself in position to fill that hole with a solid freshman campaign, and he capitalized during spring practice, emerging as the team’s top back.
Despite having surgery to repair a broken wrist in early August, he returned to the field in two short weeks and locked down the starting spot late in fall camp.
Once the season kicked off, though, it took Elliott a few weeks to find a groove. He struggled against Navy and Virginia…
Continue Reading: Ezekiel Elliott’s Emergence Fueling Ohio State’s Offensive Explosion
