Ohio State Improves Running Game But Seeks Explosive Plays

Ohio State’s football team has improved its rushing attack as running backs Ja’Kobi Jackson and Bo Jackson share the workload, with the Buckeyes gaining 160 rushing yards against Iowa on Oct. 3 in a 31-14 road win. Coach Ryan Day said the unit remains focused on creating more explosive plays.

According to Eleven Warriors, Ohio State’s rushing offense produced 191 yards on 40 carries when excluding sacks and late clock-management plays against Iowa. Pro Football Focus data showed Ja’Kobi Jackson averaging 5.02 yards after contact and Bo Jackson averaging 4.26.

Day has praised the physical approach of the running backs after challenging them to improve their downhill style. He said the competition between the two players has helped raise the level of the position.

"I think they ran downhill and they got physical," said Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach.

Day also said the rushing attack has been productive but still needs bigger gains to reach its potential.

"I think our running game right now, when you look at the efficiency, is solid. But we want to be more explosive still. We want to create bigger runs," said Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach.

The coach credited the entire offense for improving the run game, including receivers, tight ends and the offensive line after the Iowa performance.

"I think you saw the receivers digging it in there, getting their nose dirty. I think the tight ends battled. The offensive line was battling.

And I think for the most part, you saw Bo, Ja’Kobi and Isaiah run with their pads down and run through contact, which was great and kept us on schedule, allowed us to be efficient. So that needs to continue," said Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach.

Ohio State has struggled to produce long rushing gains, with no run longer than 17 yards over its previous four games. Day said explosive runs are the next area the offense must develop.

"When you can create explosives in the run game, that's when your offense can really take off. So that's got to be the next step that the whole offense takes," said Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach.

Ja’Kobi Jackson has added competition and versatility since transferring from Florida, pushing Bo Jackson while establishing his own role. Through five games, Bo had 66 carries for 353 yards and two touchdowns, while Ja’Kobi had 45 carries for 278 yards and six touchdowns, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

"I think that everybody needs to feel pressure. Everybody needs to feel competition. ... It's a good thing," said Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach.

Ja’Kobi Jackson described the division of responsibilities between the two backs as a way to maximize their strengths.

"There are some plays we know I'm going to run, and there are some plays he's going to run. More plays to get him on the outside, and more inside, power runs for me," said Ja’Kobi Jackson, Ohio State running back.

The veteran back said Ohio State’s physical rushing style has improved while the players continue to refine their execution.

"We run the ball hard. Just continuously making the right reads when we're running the ball, breaking tackles, and pass pro, just picking up blitzes. That's where we make each other better," said Ja’Kobi Jackson, Ohio State running back.

Day compared the current running back competition to the previous pairing of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, which helped both players during Ohio State’s national championship run.

"They were challenging each other every day," said Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach.

Day said the relationship between Ja’Kobi and Bo Jackson has created healthy competition within the position group.

"Well, it's the same thing here. Ja’Kobi's coming in, and I think he's pushing Bo, but they have a great relationship. I think it's a healthy relationship, a healthy little competition. ... When you think about the teams that make deep runs, they have running backs they can count on, that are big-time backs that play at a high level," said Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach.

Ja’Kobi Jackson said the running game still has room to improve after its recent progress.

"okay," said Ja’Kobi Jackson, Ohio State running back.

He later expanded on his assessment, saying the group believes improvement will continue throughout the season.

"I think it could be better. I think we're going to get better. I think it's just continuously grind, staying steady. We're constantly going and getting better," said Ja’Kobi Jackson, Ohio State running back.

Offensive lineman Luke Montgomery said blockers also must maintain their assignments longer to help create bigger rushing opportunities.

"I think overall, just staying on our guys and running them by, and continually glue. I think we did a good job with that this week, but I think we still have some more meat on the bone, for sure. There was a couple plays where like for the front 80 percent of the play, we were on our guy, and the last 20 percent, they had spinned off our block or something like that, and maybe got the ankle of Bo or Ja’Kobi or Isaiah. So I think it comes back to just practicing … guys just got to continue to get better, just through a week-to-week basis, and we just got to continue to grow every week," said Luke Montgomery, Ohio State offensive lineman.