SATURDAY’S GAME
Indiana at Ohio State, 3:30 p.m., ESPN, 1410
More than 30 media members surrounded Ohio State Buckeyes running back Mike Weber on Monday. He had never faced the full scrum of reporters by himself. There weren’t any other players on the field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center at that time to detract attention from Weber.
Much like he has handled his first season on the field with the Buckeyes, Weber thrived. He even casually dropped references to two of the greatest running backs of all time into the conversation.
“I like Walter Payton,” Weber said. “My dad played running back also. He was showing me his highlights and old-school players like Barry Sanders. I was more into those types of running backs. I’m really cool with Barry Sanders. I played golf with Barry Sanders a couple times.”
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That comment didn’t get past the media. Weber, who grew up in Detroit but was born in Sanders’ second-to-last season with the Detroit Lions, explained.
“When I was little, I played in a little All-American game,” Weber said. “I met him and spoke to him. I know a lot of people who know him. I talk to him often.”
Weber has put up Sanders-type numbers in his first four games. The redshirt freshman leads the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (123.8). He’s drawing comparisons to his predecessors: Carlos Hyde and Ezekiel Elliott.
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Weber is more like Hyde.
“He’s a banger,” Meyer said. “He’s a thumper and a plus-yardage guy most of the time. Zeke was too. He doesn’t have the top end (speed) that Zeke has. We’re working on that. And Carlos is a great back. We have been fortunate. I think Mike falls right in that category.”
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Weber didn’t play last season, but he learned from Elliott, not only how to run but how to block. That was also one of Elliott’s strengths.
“Coach (Tony) Alford, in the offseason, showed a lot of clips of Zeke doing a lot of things,” Weber said. “Lead blocking and pass protecting and picking up blocks. They made sure that’s how the rest of the running backs in the future will play. To get on the field, you have to do that, and I was able to do that. Really I just play my hardest. I want to be myself at the end of the day. They’re great running backs, but I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
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