Ohio State might’ve just cracked the code to end their decade-long natty drought last season, but if you think Ryan Day and the Buckeyes are getting comfy, you clearly ain’t been paying attention. The stakes for 2025 are higher than a giraffe’s neck, and with TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins heading to the NFL after torching defenses for a combined 7,546 yards, the Buckeyes’ backfield is looking like a whole new puzzle. But who’s gonna be the one to piece it all together? That’s the million-dollar question, and Buckeye Nation is itching for answers.
TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins were straight-up human cheat codes for Ohio State’s offense last season. We’re talking about one of the most lethal rushing duos college football has seen in years. Henderson? Lightning in a bottle. The RB1 put up 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 144 carries, averaging a scorching 7.1 yards per attempt. And oh, the man had hands too, racking up 284 receiving yards and a touchdown. Then you got Judkins—a powerhouse transfer who bulldozed his way to 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns on 194 carries, adding another 161 yards in the air. Together, they were giving defenses nightmares.
But now? They’re both prepping for the NFL Draft, and Ryan Day’s staring at a wide-open backfield. As Tony Gerdeman put it on ‘Ohio State at The Voice of College Football,’ “You’re losing 7,500 career rushing yards from those two guys, and you have to replace them with a transfer and, you know, some guys that haven’t yet done it. But the confidence in James Peoples right now—the expectations and the confidence that the coaches and teammates have in James Peoples right now—I don’t really have a ton of doubts about the running backs.”
But hey, the buzz is real around James Peoples, the kid who made some noise as a freshman last season, even in limited action. Peoples had 197 yards and two touchdowns on 49 carries, averaging 4.0 yards per carry. His best game? Dropping 81 yards on Rutgers’ head in a single outing. The boy’s got juice, and everyone’s wondering if he’s got enough to carry the load.
Look, it ain’t just about pounding the rock—it’s about holding it down in pass pro, snagging catches out of the backfield, and making plays when the pocket collapses. With a young QB still getting his feet wet, having a back who can be that go-to safety valve is straight-up crucial. You need a dude who can take a little dump-off pass and turn it into a solid five or six yards, keeping the offense on schedule. Those quick hitters? That’s the difference between a stalled drive and a first down. And in a system that leans on versatility, a back who can block, catch, and grind out yards is worth his weight in gold.
Steve Helwagen’s been hyping him up too, but he kept it a buck: “Carlos Locklyn said he’s not just gonna hand him the job… he’s got to go out this spring and earn it.” And honestly, that’s what makes this battle so darn interesting. Peoples is the favorite, sure, but you got CJ Donaldson in the mix, trying to bridge that experience gap. Oh, and let’s not forget about Sam Williams-Dixon, who briefly dipped into the transfer portal before deciding to come back to Columbus. Apparently, Carlos Locklyn gave him the ol’ ‘you’ll get your shot’ reassurance, and now he’s back and ready to scrap. There’s also another fresh RB in the mix: Bo Jackson.
Can Bo Jackson and James Peoples replace TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins for the 2025 season?
But here’s where things get even more wild. Buckeyes ain’t just relying on what they got—they’re bringing in reinforcements. Enter Bo Jackson, the four-star stud from Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School in Cleveland. Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 210 pounds, Jackson ran through his junior season like a bulldozer on turbo, racking up 1,700 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on just 114 carries. The kid’s got speed, power, vision—pretty much everything you need to wreck shop in the Big Ten.
So, you got James Peoples and Bo Jackson both gunning for the throne. Peoples might have the early nod because he’s already got a year under his belt, but Jackson’s talent is mad. It’s about to be a dogfight, and Ryan Day’s got some big decisions to make. One thing’s for sure, though—whoever ends up getting the nod better be ready to carry the rock like their life depends on it. Ryan Day can also run a 1-2 punch running game like they did with Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.
Oh, and let’s not forget Ohio State’s got a young quarterback room trying to find its footing after Will Howard dipped to the NFL. Julian Sayin’s looking like the front-runner heading into spring practice, but Lincoln Keinholz and Tavien St. Clair are still in the mix. Having a reliable running back who can catch, protect, and break big runs? Yeah, that’s the kind of security blanket every young QB dreams of. Ryan Day’s decision at running back could very well make or break Ohio State’s 2025 season.
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