Ohio State’s Dobbins sizzles
That running back J.K. Dobbins drew the start in Ohio State’s season opener at Indiana was noteworthy for two reasons, even if only made possible by reigning starter Mike Weber’s lingering hamstring injury.
“When I heard that, I just thought of it as an open opportunity for me,” Dobbins said of the news that he’d draw the start in his debut.
For one, Dobbins is a true freshman — even if one labeled by every major recruiting service as one of the nation’s top all-purpose backs in his class. But this is Ohio State, which reels in top-five classes on an annual basis; to crack the rotation, let alone start as a rookie, makes a strong statement about Dobbins’ performance since arriving on campus over the winter as an early enrollee.
“I mean, he walked in as a grown man,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. “I wasn’t surprised at all. I kind of tempered my emotions with you guys early on, because we have seen that since spring practice. He had a hell of a camp.”
But what makes Dobbins’ start all the more striking was the fact that he hadn’t played a full game
since his junior year at La Grange (Texas) High School. Dobbins was lost for the season on the first play of the first game of his senior year, though that didn’t scare off Ohio State and others from making a run at the four-star recruit.
Not that you could tell. Dobbins’ 181 rushing yards in Ohio State’s 49-21 win against the Hoosiers marked a program record for a true freshman in his debut, breaking the mark set by Maurice Clarett in 2002. Like Clarett, who drove the charge for an eventual national title, Dobbins figures to serve as a linchpin for the running game.
“He’s strong and shifty. He can do it all,” senior quarterback J.T. Barrett said. “I’m glad he’s on the Buckeyes’ side.”
As the Buckeyes prepare to host Oklahoma in one of the crucial games of the non-conference season, Dobbins stands as the latest weapon for an offense that seems to have grasped new coordinator Kevin Wilson’s scheme. The Buckeyes’ 596 yards in the victory was the team’s most against a conference foe other than Rutgers since Nov. 2, 2013.
It also raises a question: Who is Ohio State’s lead back? Asked that question after the Indiana game, Meyer laughed, waited a beat and gave the answer. “J.K. Weber,” he joked.
It’s probably safe to say Ohio State does have co-starters in the backfield. Better yet, the two seemingly present complementary styles. Weber, who cracked the 1,000-yard mark as a redshirt freshman in 2016, is the sort of bruising runner who fits into Wilson’s power running game. Dobbins is shiftier and more of a home-run threat; in one game, he flashed a more complete skill set than his teammate at running back.
“We get Mike back next week, and that is going to be a nice onetwo punch,” Meyer said.
It’s a new year — Oklahoma’s a new team, as is Ohio State. But don’t forget about what happened in Norman, Okla., last fall when the Buckeyes racked up 291 rushing yards at a tidy 6.1 yards per tote. While still a work in progress — see Ohio State’s sluggish start against the Hoosiers — Wilson’s scheme throughout his coaching career has been defined by its ability to take advantage of skill talent.
Saturday’s game has deep implications for the College Football Playoff chase. It could be decided by Barrett’s consistency and the offense’s ability to push the ball downfield. But it’s not a stretch to say Dobbins might hold the key for a potential Ohio State victory.
After all, it took one game for Meyer to make this comparison: Dobbins as the next Ezekiel Elliott, the recent gold standard for running backs at Ohio State.
“He’s close,” Meyer said. “Yeah, he’s very similar to Zeke. Very similar about the way he works. He handles his business like a pro.”
FRESHMEN THRUST INTO SPOTLIGHT
For Maryland, a season-opening win at Texas came with a cost:
Tyrrell Pigrome, the starting quarterback, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear late in the third quarter that will end his season.
The job falls to true freshman Kasim Hill, a four-star recruit who handled the pressure of making his first appearance in a hostile environment with aplomb. He completed all three of his attempts against the Longhorns and added a touchdown on the ground. With Pigrome done for the year, it’s up to Hill to lead Maryland through three very winnable games — at home against Towson and Central Florida then at Minnesota — in advance of a major matchup at Ohio State on Oct. 7.
They’re not alone. Three other Power Five programs find themselves heading back to the drawing board at quarterback after injuries at the position during the year’s first full weekend.
The severity of Georgia sophomore Jacob Eason’s injury isn’t known, though he’ll miss at least this weekend’s game at Notre Dame after spraining a ligament in his left knee in the Bulldogs’ win against Appalachian State. It’s a tough break for Eason, who drew praise for his offseason growth after an up-and-down rookie season.
Like Maryland, Kirby Smart and Georgia will turn to a talented true freshman: Jake Fromm gets the call after going 10-for-15 for 143 yards and a score against the Mountaineers.
Texas A&M’s Nick Starkel is “out for a long time,” coach Kevin Sumlin said, after breaking an ankle in the Aggies’ dreadful loss to UCLA. You saw what happened when Starkel went down — the Aggies shifted to true freshman Kellen Mond and coughed up a
34-point lead.
It will be interesting to see if Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone use senior Jake Hubenak, who might lack Mond’s physical gifts but would provide a steadier hand.
(Why the staff didn’t turn to Hubenak as the caretaker when Mond struggled and the Bruins began to make their late-game charge is beyond me.)
And then there’s Florida State, which very likely saw its College Football Playoff chances drop off the map after Deondre Francois’ season-ending injury late in a
24-7 loss to Alabama.
His replacement, true freshman James Blackman, was a three-star recruit who went under the radar throughout the most recent recruiting cycle — but he does have the Jimbo Fisher seal of approval, which counts for something.
But finding an analogue in recent history might mean going back to 2009, when Oklahoma lost reigning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford in a defeat to Brigham Young to kick off the season. Like FSU, the Sooners were forced to recalibrate their expectations after an early-season stumble.
GAMES YOU SHOULDN’T MISS
It’s impossible to watch every game. (I know. I’ve tried.)
Until the invention of picture-in-picture-in-picture television technology, I’m here to help.
In each time window, here are this Saturday’s matchups you can’t afford to miss (times Eastern):
Noon: Northwestern at Duke (ESPNU). You could also check out Louisville at North Carolina, but the Wildcats-Blue Devils matchup will tell more about these underrated contenders in their respective Power Five divisions. 3:30 p.m.: TCU at Arkansas (CBS). It’s a statement game for TCU, which feels like it has been ignored this offseason as a result of last year’s losing finish.
Prime time: No. 6 Oklahoma at No. 2 Ohio State (7:30 p.m., ABC). The highly anticipated rematch from last September should favor the Buckeyes, but let’s be serious: OU is really, really good. After dark: No. 23 Utah at Brigham Young (10:15 p.m., ESPN2). One of the best rivalries in the sport — and definitely one of the fiercest.