Sophomore running back Dallan Hayden (5) tries to get around a Purdue defender during No. 3 Ohio State’s 41-7 win over the Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor
No Henderson, no Williams and with under three minutes left in the first quarter, no Trayanum.
Ohio State has already dealt with a troubled run game this season, and is now down its top-three running backs. Things looked interesting in West Lafayette, Indiana.
However, overcoming adversity has been the name of the game, and the Buckeyes did just that.
Coming off their worst run game — Maryland, 62 yards — since 2011 against Michigan State, the Buckeyes put up their second-most rushing yards of the year behind fourth-string running back Dallan Hayden and a two-quarterback package.
“The running back room, I think, showed that last year and again this year just how deep they are and Dallan stepped up,” junior quarterback Kyle McCord said. “[It’s] the next-man-up mentality and Dallan was ready for it.”
Last week against Maryland, TreVeyon Henderson sat out with an undisclosed injury, though he battled a lingering hurt ankle all last year. Questionable for Saturday’s game against the Boilermakers, the junior running back did not play.
Senior Miyan Williams missed week 11 in 2022 but has played in every game since. He did not travel with the team to Purdue.
Chip Trayanum earned the start at Ross-Ade Stadium, but after producing 28 yards on six carries, he exited the game following a hard hit on a 9-yard swing pass with 2:30 left in the first half.
“You’re down Tre, you’re down Miyan and Chip’s your guy and then obviously you lose him in the game, it’s like, ‘Okay, how are we gonna run the ball here?’” head coach Ryan Day said.
Hayden, who carried once against Indiana Sept. 2 for minus 1 yard, was left in control of the backfield.
But the sophomore wasn’t alone.
Xavier Johnson, Ohio State captain and graduate wide receiver, stepped up in both the run and pass game given the depleting running back room and absence of an injured Emeka Egbuka.
The combination of Hayden and Johnson helped guide the Buckeyes to a 136-yard first-half rushing, accompanied by 133 passing yards by McCord.
“One of the big things you have to do is you have to start fast on the road,” Day said. “There was some really good points today.”
Trying to find an additional run-game spark, Ohio State put sophomore quarterback Devin Brown behind center in the red zone for three consecutive drives. This was Brown’s first appearance since Western Kentucky Sept. 16.
“Devin is very explosive with his feet. He’s strong. He’s big. He’s powerful. He’s athletic,” Day said. “He also throws the ball really well. That’s something that we — we’ve been working on a little bit and we felt like this was the right time on the road to do that.”
With 3:44 left on the first quarter clock, Brown found the end zone for a 2-yard rushing touchdown — his second score as a Buckeye.
On Ohio State’s next drive, Brown had the same opportunity but fumbled the ball after jumping over the goal line resulting in a Purdue first down.
Brown had 20 yards on eight touches and two touchdowns on the day.
“It’s always a good feeling to go out there and help your teammates — especially score,” Brown said.
Just over two minutes into the third quarter, Hayden, who Day is considering redshirting this season, found the end zone for a 1-yard score — his first this season and sixth career.
Throughout the second half, the Buckeye run game was underwhelming. They ran for 27 yards and added another rushing touchdown. Hayden led the room with 76 yards on 11 carries overall.
Brown returned to the game in the fourth quarter, and though he faltered on his feet — adding on four more carries for just three yards — he found freshman receiver Brandon Inniss down the stretch for a 58-yard touchdown reception. This catch marked Inniss’ first-career reception and first-career touchdown in one.
“As soon as I saw it was Cover 0 [defense], I knew I had Brandon right there,” Brown said. “Especially being a young guy, he knows he can go out there and do it against high-level teams.”
The Buckeyes netted 163 rushing yards in their 41-7 win over the Boilermakers — credited to six different rushers. They also completed 61 percent of third downs (8 of 13) compared to their 40 percent completion rate coming into Saturday.
Moving into a matchup against the No. 6, undefeated Nittany Lions, Day said he hopes to have a full running back room and additionally, a healthy Egbuka, but could not reveal any of their current statuses.
“We’re certainly a work in progress,” Day said. “We’re continuing to grow and build and we have to be at our best football next Saturday.”
