Buckeyes’ future could feature a throwback offense
When quarterback Will Howard crouched under center to take the snap on the first play from scrimmage in Ohio State's spring game on Saturday, three others lined up behind him in the backfield.
Patrick Gurd, a walk-on tight end, was directly at his back, getting into a threepoint stance as a fullback, while running backs Treveyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins flanked Gurd.
The look was familiar to a generation of Buckeyes fans. Half a century ago, the T-formation stood as a staple of the Woody Hayes era.
“If it was good enough for Woody,” said Chip Kelly, OSU'S newly hired offensive coordinator, “we're going to do it.”
Kelly built his reputation in college football as an offensive innovator, bringing a warp-speed spread offense to Oregon in the late 2000s that would revolutionize the way teams pushed the pace and spaced the field to stress defenses.
But in his public debut as the Buckeyes' play-caller, standing on the sideline at Ohio Stadium in front of an announced crowd of 80,012, he went old school.
“I think our players had a lot of fun practicing that,” Kelly said, “and doing some different things.”
As he discussed the opening play-call, Kelly paid homage to Hayes, the legendary coach who led the Buckeyes for 28 years. He referenced the program's practice facility that bears his name and features a statue in his likeness outside its entrance along Olentangy River Road.
“There's a looming figure around this whole program,” Kelly said.
Kelly also stressed that it was no spring game gimmick.
As the coach at UCLA last season, he estimated the Bruins lined up in the Tformation nearly two dozen times.
The formation, which bunches together heavy personnel that also includes two tight ends adjoining the opposite ends of the offensive line, helped them to run the ball in short-yardage situations a year ago.
Kelly said it produced a handful of touchdowns, along with moving the chains.
“A lot of first downs,” he added. He considered it effective and is confident Ohio State can replicate that success.
“We’ll work up to that,” he said. When the Buckeyes ran out of the Tformation to start their scrimmage on a
first down at their 35-yard line, they picked up a modest 3 yards.
Henderson took the handoff from Howard and ran left behind Gurd and Judkins, who were his lead blockers.
Without live tackling for the opening period, officials ruled the play dead when safety Jayden Bonsu touched Henderson, concluding the use of the formation for the afternoon.
Even if it only makes the rare cameo in the fall, it could help the Buckeyes.
Ohio State had trouble picking up short yardage on the ground at times last season, especially at some critical moments. On third downs with 3 yards or less to go, the Buckeyes averaged 2.6 yards per carry, ranking 113th out of the 133 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
The arrival of Kelly is expected to rejuvenate
a running game that has trended in the wrong direction in recent years. The Buckeyes finished with their fewest net rushing yards last season since 2004.
Kelly suggested he is not an outlier in the sport for turning to the T-formation, noting that more teams are installing similar packages.
“I think it’s come back,” he said. “There’s a lot of schools right now that are starting to do that. You got half a yard to get and you’re trying to get your big guys in the game.”
For Ohio State, though, it seemed fitting of its history.
“There’s a lot of different things you can do in short yardage,” Kelly said, “but it is little bit of a tribute to Coach Hayes and what he means to this program.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch