Ohio State could use two running backs plan again

COLUMBUS – James Peoples thinks it's his time. C.J. Donaldson heard the clock ticking. The two top candidates to replace NFL draft hopefuls TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins at running back for Ohio State in the fall have different mindsets but a similar determination to succeed. Peoples, a sophomore, gained 197 yards on 49 carries last season as OSU's No. 3 running back but there were times when, to use one of Ryan Day's favorite descriptions, he flashed. "I did play a good amount last year but you all didn't get a chance to see me fully open up. This year you all will see that," said Peoples, a Texan whose parents grew up in Cleveland and Youngstown. "You have to wait your turn. They (Henderson and Judkins) were great backs. I knew I had to take what I could from the situation. I've been waiting for this," he said after a recent OSU spring practice. "I'm feeling good. Last year I learned a lot. This year I'm just looking to get better and improve in the areas where I need to get better." Donaldson rushed for 2,028 yards in three seasons at West Virginia, including 734 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, before entering the transfer portal to join the Buckeyes. When Donaldson was asked why he transferred to Ohio State he said, "There was a lot that went into it. You've got to think about your family and what you want to get out of this. This is my last guaranteed opportunity to have a chance to play football. The next level isn't promised. I just bet on myself." He said Ohio State "has a larger frame of resources" than West Virginia. And when he says he hopes to develop into the best player he can be in his final year of college football, it's clear he hopes those resources help him get to the NFL. "They've developed me since Day 1 when I stepped on campus. They talked about my eating habits, my body weight, what I need to develop to be an NFL running back and have an opportunity to get to that level," Donaldson said. He has already dropped 15 pounds, from 243 to 225, and feels the difference on the field. "I definitely feel quicker, more explosive getting off the ball," he said. "I'm running like The Flash now." Peoples said he would be open to sharing the running back position with another running back like Henderson and Judkins did last season when they both ran for more than 1,000 yards. "I would prefer that for your body and your longevity and your lifespan in the league (NFL) as well. It's a big help. I would prefer us doing that again," he said. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline reacted as most coaches do when presented with a hypothetical during spring practice when he was asked about a timeshare at running back. "I don't know how it will play out," he said. "Coach Locklyn (running backs coach Carlos Locklyn) will have a great plan. Having depth at that position is really critical whether it's at our level or the NFL level. Depth is really important to keep guys healthy and then if you do have have an injury you have guys who can step in." Freshmen Bo Jackson and Anthony Rogers and redshirt freshman Sam Williams-Dixon are probably next in line on the depth chart at running back. Williams-Dixon got seven carries in four games last season. He entered the transfer portal in December but later changed his mind and stayed at OSU.