Ohio State sophomore running back Master Teague III (33) rushes the ball down the field during the Ohio State-Nebraska game on Oct. 24. Ohio State won 52-17. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Following the Buckeyes’ season-opening win against Nebraska, there were concerns about the explosiveness and consistency of the Ohio State running game.
Ohio State running backs Master Teague and Trey Sermon ran the ball 23 times, averaging just 3.86 yards per carry. Sermon was used once in the passing game and both ball carriers struggled to find gaps in an overwhelmed Nebraska defense.
But Saturday’s game at Penn State was an upswing for both of them — especially for Teague, who collected his first 100-yard game of the season and added a touchdown.
“First week was still a little bit of a struggle, I think,” Teague said Wednesday. “I’m hoping it’s because of the long time we’ve had with break. It’s different circumstances. But I feel like I did a lot better second game around. Still got a lot of things I want to improve on — I think I will each and every week and continue to grow.”
Although there is still room for improvement in the Buckeyes running game, Teague’s emergence as a reliable red zone threat gives the Ohio State coaching staff a clearer path forward.
Outside of the red zone — from Ohio State’s own one yard line to the opposing 21 — Teague carried the ball 22 times this year. In the red zone, from the opposing 20 yard line to the goal line, Teague has 13 rushing attempts.
A table of Ohio State sophomore running back Master Teague III’s (33) carries on the field from Ohio State’s first two games of the season. Credit: Collin Ginnan | Lantern Reporter
Teague’s size at 5-foot-11 and 225 pounds makes him difficult to bring down and a force near the goal line. Each of his touchdowns this season have come from within six yards of the end zone.
“I just see the goal line, I mean it’s right there,” Teague said. “Hard to not get in there, it’s right there. I’m about to get in there, it’s an inch away. I just force my way in there. I don’t know if, exactly, a real serious thought process is behind it.”
Against Penn State, Teague received an increased workload outside of the red zone as well. Against Nebraska, half of Teague’s carries were in the red zone, compared to just seven of his 23 carries against Penn State. Teague also upped his average yards per attempt by nearly a yard and a half, aided by a crucial 31-yard rush in the third quarter.
“I thought Master ran harder,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said at his postgame press conference Saturday. “We were getting four a shot, five a shot and that’s good. It keeps you in rhythm, you’re able to control the game which I thought we did.”
Despite an improved Week 2, Teague’s role in the Ohio State offense is not quite set in stone. The upcoming November slate against Rutgers, Maryland, Indiana and Illinois will be key in deciding how the running game functions in the late portion of the season.
As of now, it appears that Teague is the primary back with Sermon getting equal in number, but lower-stake carries. Sermon has less than half the amount of red zone rushing attempts and Teague has seen significantly more playing time in the first and fourth quarter.
In those bookend quarters, Teague carried the ball 25 times compared to just 10 rushing attempts in the second and third quarters. Against Penn State, 16 of Teague’s 23 carries came in the first and fourth.
Whether this is a trend of relying on experience in early and late-game scenarios or just a chance of the game script is yet to be determined. Nonetheless, it appears that, for now, Teague will continue in this primary role as Sermon continues to work into a new system.
