Though yesterday’s game against Grambling State was a 70-0 blowout, it gave us two opportunities.
The first was to find a way to generate some offensive rhythm on the ground after a fairly tough day for the running backs against Texas last week. The second was the opportunity to see some of the backups and younger guys in action.
Sitting right in the sweet spot of those two things was Bo Jackson, the true freshman running back who went in for the Buckeyes as they pulled out some of their starters.
Despite being a backup, it was Jackson who led Ohio State’s run game, netting 108 of the Buckeyes’ 274 total rushing yards and adding a beautiful 11-yard touchdown.
Collectively, the Buckeyes turned around the one stat that concerned me most last week: average yards per carry. Last week, they collectively averaged just 2.3 yards per carry, while this week, it was 7.2. Especially because the caliber of team was different between Week 1 and Week 2, it was important that this number improve markedly week-over-week, and they managed to pull it off nicely.
It was never more evident than when Jackson was carrying the ball, averaging an impressive 12 yards per carry. While none of Saturday’s plays could really be considered “momentum shifting” as the Buckeyes’ momentum never really wavered, Jackson’s touchdown signaled a positive shift for the run game, making it this week’s play of the game.
