The explosive metrics that will define success for Ohio State's running backs

Here's how the OSU running backs can go from average to great.

Ohio State running back Bo Jackson on the first day of preseason camp. (Photo courtesy of OSU football)

COLUMBUS — There’s a play from Ohio State’s Big Ten Championship loss to Indiana last year that sums up most of its rushing woes.

Then-freshman running back Bo Jackson gets a carry on second-and-2 from the Hoosiers’ 19-yard line with less than four minutes to play in the third quarter and the Buckeyes trailing, 13-10. There’s a crease for Jackson to get up the field, and wide open green space in front of him, until an Indiana defender, while in the process of being blocked, basically hip checks Jackson. The ballcarrier goes down immediately, turning what should’ve been a 19-yard, go-ahead touchdown into a five-yard gain.

Julian Sayin was stopped on a fourth-down quarterback sneak four plays later, and the drive stalled at the Indiana 5.

We remember the failed sneak. It’s one of the missed opportunities from that game burned into the memories of Ohio State fans. However, there wasn’t much discussion about the run earlier in the drive that should’ve been a touchdown and would’ve changed the tenor of the game. Would taking the lead there have guaranteed Ohio State a win? No. There was a whole quarter left to play. But with the way the defense was playing, you would’ve liked OSU’s chances. Instead, a common issue for Ohio State’s offense reared its head at a pivotal moment.

Its running backs rarely got more than what was blocked for.

“We felt like there was a lot of good there last year, but there was also a lot of (yards) that we left on the field,” head coach Ryan Day said last week.