Here Comes the Boom
The fact that Ohio State could potentially have two running backs both eclipse the 700-yard mark, is remarkable, astonishing, mind boggling, and all of the above. This could be the first time the buckeyes have had this much talent in the backfield all at once. There have of course been many other backs that have had more impressive careers to date, but after its all said and done, I’m sure there are plenty of people who would be willing to bet this could be the best tandem backfield Ohio State has ever seen. If I’m wrong, I’d be very interested to know who else can compare to these guys (comments are welcome).
Imagine an offense that could potentially rush for 3500 yards or more. Seems like a bit of a stretch, but if the Buckeyes played 13 games this coming year and averaged around 270 yards per game, that could be a very real possibility. Having a new quarterback under center makes this even more feasible. With a backfield like this, it would make sense to take as much pressure off as possible to whoever wins the starting QB job. There is a good mixture of speed and size to these backs with 3/5 of the offensive line returning. Most people know what we’ll get from these guys this year, unlike the uncertainty at quarterback. However, it’s always good to reminisce on what we’ve seen thus far from the thunder and lightning pair of Weber and Dobbins.
The thunder; Mike Weber, from Cass Tech high school in Detroit, decided to return for his redshirt junior year after contemplating to leave school for the NFL draft. The announcement of Weber returning for another season for the buckeyes might be the biggest return of them all in my opinion. In his first year on the field, he became only the third freshman in Ohio State history to rush for more than 1,000 yards. From what was rumored, his speed improved during this past offseason before he was set to start his redshirt sophomore year. Not that Weber was slow by any means, but it seemed that there were multiple times he was only a shoe string away from not being tripped up and racing away to the end zone during his freshman year. Weber was not 100% as the season started off this year, which could’ve been a blessing in disguise allowing Dobbins to showcase his full arsenal of talent. There was talk as the year went on that Weber was completely healthy, but I didn’t think it was showcased until the Michigan State game when his burst of speed seemed like any essence of labeling him a power back was thrown out the door. I’m ecstatic that Weber decided to return for another year. The guy seems like a great kid that just keeps continuing to work. Barring any nagging injuries to start the year, I think he could have an even better year that most of us can predict. The passing game is always fun to watch but getting back to classic Big Ten football with Weber as one of your bell cow backs will be just as fun to watch.
There’s a reason Imagine Dragons sings lightning before the thunder; it’s because they’ve seen Dobbins start off the 1-2 punch of the running attack. The true sophomore from La Grange is the true definition of don’t mess with Texas. He became the fourth freshman in Ohio State history to rush for 1,000 or more yards, and a lot of people would argue that it might’ve been the most productive running season by a buckeye freshman (no discredit to what you did in 02’ Maurice). There were times throughout the year that it seemed like Dobbins was the only consistent piece on offense, with the exception of the offensive line. That isn’t to discredit any other player on offense, but if there was a survey taken on who should have the ball in there hands the most during a course of a game, I’d place a bet on Dobbins winning that poll. His size and stature is a perfect fit for a running back, but his cut back speed and elusiveness are what set him apart from almost every other back in the nation. There is a reason this kid has the best odds to win the Heisman right now, at 6/1. He is also a very nice pass catcher from the backfield and his blocking has been solid thus far. Dobbins has all the tools to go down as one of the best to ever do it at Ohio State and he’s off to more than an impressive start.
To reiterate, the buckeyes could rely heavily on the run with the amount of talent in that backfield. The quarterback situation could also determine the usage of the backs, but regardless it would be wise to use a heavy dosage of Weber and Dobbins. Having both of the backs each reach 1000 yards is what I would love to see, and who knows, I don’t believe it is totally out of the question. Maybe a quick phone call to Kevin Wilson and Ryan Day would help my boys out, but I think they’ve watched enough football to know to give these guys the ball all day, everyday. TBDBITL- The Best Damn Backfield in The Land. Boom.