Football: No. 2 Ohio State backfield looking to get healthy

Greg Wilson
Wed, 16 Nov 2022 01:47:28 +0000
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Third-year running back Miyan Williams (3) points above during the Ohio State-Indiana game Saturday. Ohio State won 56-14. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

In Tuesday’s weekly press conference, head coach Ryan Day briefly addressed the health of the Ohio State backfield.

Running backs second-year TreVeyon Henderson, third-year Miyan Williams and third-year linebacker Chip Trayanum, who’s practiced “full time” with the ball-carriers, have all missed time this fall due to injury.

“We feel like we have a really good chance to get all those guys back for next week,” Day said. “Now, maybe one of them won’t, but I’d be shocked if all three — Chip, Miyan and Tre — would not be available. I think we’ll get hopefully at least two of them back and then go from there.”

The Buckeyes faced many injuries throughout the season on both sides of the ball, but the depth of the team has made it so it has not just survived, but thrived through the adversity.

Five Ohio State running backs have suffered injuries this season, with second-year Evan Pryor and first-year TC Caffey joining Henderson, Williams and Trayanum on the list.

Henderson was first injured in the game against Toledo Sept. 17, and missed the last two weeks after reaggravating the injury at Penn State Oct. 29. Williams left the Indiana game Saturday and was on crutches on the sideline after earning 147 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

If all three miss the Maryland game, the Buckeyes would likely be starting first-year running back Dallan Hayden, who? most recently put up a stat line of 102 yards and a score on 19 carries in the game against the Hoosiers.

“There’s a lot of changes that go on, and you try to do the best you can for being in November in the Big Ten,” Day said. “There’s a lot of variables that come into play, and the only way to do that is to build a tremendous amount of depth.”