Carlos Hyde, Ohio State’s 6’0″, 230-pound battering ram, is 53 yards away from a 1,000-yard rushing season.
Hyde came close to hitting the 1,000-yard mark last year, but an early-season MCL injury cost him two-and-a-half games. That didn’t stop him from having a terrific junior campaign as he rushed for 970 yards and 16 touchdowns.
That outburst set the expectations high for Hyde’s senior season, but his final year at the collegiate level couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start. An offseason incident at a bar in Columbus, Ohio prompted Meyer to suspend his star running back for three games, putting Hyde on thin ice.
To his credit, Hyde did everything the coaching staff asked of him to earn his way back into the rotation.
Against Florida A&M, Hyde played sparingly, carrying the ball five times for 41 yards to complement a one-yard receiving touchdown. Ohio State kicked off Big Ten play against Wisconsin the following week, which sparked an incredible string of performances from Hyde.
His gutsy performance against Northwestern saved Ohio State’s perfect season.
The Buckeyes were facing a 10-point second-half deficit, and Braxton Miller was struggling through a turnover-plagued outing. Meyer put the ball, and the game, in Hyde’s hands.
He delivered with 112 second-half rushing yards and three touchdowns to lift Ohio State to a 40-30 victory.
After the game, Hyde told Brandon Castel of The-Ozone that he’s…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: Carlos Hyde on the Brink of 1,000-Yard Rushing Season
