Quinshon Judkins of the Ohio State Buckeyes stiff arms Jaden Yates of Marshall Thundering Herd at Ohio Stadium on September 21, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
COLUMBUS — Much was made of Ohio State’s special running back tandem of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson following Judkins’ transfer to Columbus this winter. On Saturday, Buckeye fans got their first full taste of just how dynamic the duo can be as Ohio State cruised to a 49-14 win over Marshall.
Judkins and Henderson combined for 249 yards and four touchdowns on just 20 carries in a little more than three quarters of action. Two of the four touchdowns came from at least 40 yards out as Judkins and Henderson hit a pair of home runs to help Ohio State break open the game.
Through three games, the duo has accounted for 443 yards and five touchdowns, living up to every bit of the hype they received in the preseason as, perhaps, the best running back tandem in the country. In doing so, head coach Ryan Day believes the Ohio State offense is beginning to find its identity led in large part by the Buckeyes’ quick passing game and an overpowering rushing attack to work off of stretching defenses horizontally.
“Once you do that, we can start running the ball with the way that our running backs are running and the way the offensive line is now really growing,” Day said. “I think Donovan Jackson being back in there helped a lot, and I thought the running backs ran hard.
“And when you have the ability for Will (Howard) to pull it, it just changes the numbers (on defense). You think back to when we had Justin Fields and J.T. Barrett, it was just a different run game. I think you’re starting to see that come back a little bit … Bigger challenges are ahead heading into conference play but the identity is starting to build. That running game is starting to build an identity and some confidence up front, which is needed.”
Perhaps most impressive on Saturday wasn’t the final stats for Judkins and Henderson but the ways in which they compiled those lines, running through and past defenders with a blend of speed and physicality that would elevate any backfield in the country.
“I think the mindset of me and my teammates as a whole is to play with bad intentions,” Judkins said following the game. “That’s my mindset when I get the ball. That’s my job at the end of the day. I’m gonna try to get the first down, try to get the score. Every time I get the ball, I’m gonna try to make the most of it.”
With Judkins and Henderson both being established backs at the highest levels of college football, there were questions about how each would handle a reduced role in Ohio State’s offense as carries were split between the two. If the first three games are any indication, those questions have been put to bed for good.
“I think it’s the brotherhood,” Judkins said of the lack of ego between himself and Henderson. “Everybody has put blood, sweat, and tears into this program. Everybody has woken up at 5 a.m. to be in the building and train, and that’s because you’re doing it for the person beside you —not for yourself but because of your brother. Just knowing that I can trust that guy beside me to go out there and make a play, that’s what our culture is and what everything is built on. That’s our foundation.”
He added, “Just with TreVeyon in there, I was super excited to see how he ran and just supporting him from afar and looking at how he progressed throughout the first quarter, the different runs he had, and how the offense was flowing. It was pretty successful, and I enjoyed it.”
While Judkins and Henderson carried the day for Ohio State, Day was also complimentary of the Buckeyes’ third back, true freshman James Peoples. Taking over the workload in the fourth quarter after Henderson and Judkins’ days were done, Peoples continued his strong start to the season, averaging 5.2 yards on six total carries.
Peoples has now rushed 16 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns on the season while seeing his first carries as a college back. Should one of the backs in the Buckeyes’ top duo be forced to miss time, Day has plenty of confidence in Peoples to step in and play well.
“All three of them, I gotta give them credit,” Day said. “They all have special abilities and play well off each other. They’re unselfish. The biggest thing you can say about that bunch of guys is they don’t care who gets the credit. They’re all running downhill and playing really fast. It’s a good group, and (running backs coach Carlosy Locklyn) has them playing hard.”
Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on X @DillonDavis56.
