Virginia Tech stacked the line of scrimmage to stop the run. That’s one reason Ohio State gained 120 yards Saturday in a 35-21 loss, averaging three yards per carry.
“They understand if a defense lines up a certain way that they’re designed to take away the run game,” said running backs coach Stan Drayton of his group. “They have to be patient in that respect. Actually, it’s a compliment to what we’ve done here in the past in the run game, the way people are lined up against us right now.
“Their time will come. There’s value in their play when the ball’s not in their hands. They need to understand that. In today’s day and age, especially, all those guys have hopes and dreams of playing NFL ball one day. They’ve got to understand the back that can do it all is the back that’s going to get drafted.”
Hyde rushed for 50 yards on seven carries with a touchdown in his NFL debut.
Ohio State’s running backs, Ezekiel Elliott and Curtis Samuel, have combined to rush for 147 yards in two games. Elliott has averaged 3.8 yards per carry. Samuel is averaging 5.9.
Elliott has started, Drayton said, because he provides consistency in all phases of the offense. There’s a place for Samuel, too, because he has value in the perimeter game, but he’s a rookie trying to figure things out.
“Obviously, when you get a defense like Virginia Tech that throws a curveball at you, Ezekiel Elliott, who has been in the fire a little bit and is a little orlder, handles it a little bit better. In that respect, he’s a little ahead of Curtis Samuel, but Curtis has unbelievable value to this offense right now.”
Depth chart: Center Chad Lindsay announced he was quitting football Tuesday because of injuries. He did not play in either of the first two games, but was listed on the depth chart as a backup. Antonio Underwood is now listed as the backup center to Jacoby Boren.
Middletown grad Rashad Frazier, who has seven tackles and a fumble recovery in two games, was listed as the backup at defensive end last week. With Noah Spence returning from suspension, he moves into that spot, and Frazier and Donovan Munger are now listed as the backups to Adolphus Washington at defensive tackle.
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