Michael Citro
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Chip Kelly has the pieces in place for a potent run game in 2024
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
With two of the nation’s best running backs, an experienced line and solid run-game principles, the Buckeye offense could get a jolt this season.
It will be interesting to see how Ryan Day and Chip Kelly mold the 2024 Ohio State offense. The Buckeyes have tried to be balanced on offense under Day, but with the quarterbacks and receivers Ohio State has had, combined with Day’s willingness to air it out, it has seemed to be more of a passing offense in recent years.
Kelly may change that.
It took Kelly a couple of seasons to turn around the run game at UCLA, but his offenses have been No. 17 nationally or better over the last four years in rushing yards per game. His Bruins were No. 1 in the country in yards per rushing attempt in 2021, averaging six yards per attempt.
At Ohio State, Kelly will inherit more talented ball carriers than he had in Los Angeles and an experienced offensive line. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins each could make an argument for the mantle of, “best returning running back in the country,” but putting the two of them together should make Kelly’s job an easy one in 2024.
Kelly likes to feature both wide zone and inside zone plays in the running game. These would seem to suit Judkins’ and Henderson’s skill sets, respectively. But both are versatile enough to run both, so there’s an opportunity for Kelly to use Judkins primarily inside and Henderson mainly outside in the Buckeyes’ easier games to establish tendencies that he can break at key moments in bigger matchups, which could spring explosion plays in the run game.
A more successful Ohio State run game will help the passing game. Kelly is known to run play action and roll out his quarterback in bootleg action off of fake handoffs, which can lead to explosive pass plays down the field when a defense starts to commit more numbers in the box or cheat its safeties toward the line of scrimmage.
He’s shown a willingness to set up vertical plays down the field with the wide zone runs and some jet sweep play action. Ohio State has had some success with jet sweeps in recent seasons with both Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr., getting some carries. I expect more of those plays in 2024, both as an attacking move in the run game and to set up big plays when passing.
In short, a steady diet of Judkins and Henderson, and a few jet sweeps thrown in for good measure, can spring big plays over the top to Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, Jeremiah Smith and others.
Kelly’s scheme, if it’s not altered much, could produce excellent results for the OSU offense by expanding the run game and creating looks that will lead to success in the passing game.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
With two of the nation’s best running backs, an experienced line and solid run-game principles, the Buckeye offense could get a jolt this season.
It will be interesting to see how Ryan Day and Chip Kelly mold the 2024 Ohio State offense. The Buckeyes have tried to be balanced on offense under Day, but with the quarterbacks and receivers Ohio State has had, combined with Day’s willingness to air it out, it has seemed to be more of a passing offense in recent years.
Kelly may change that.
It took Kelly a couple of seasons to turn around the run game at UCLA, but his offenses have been No. 17 nationally or better over the last four years in rushing yards per game. His Bruins were No. 1 in the country in yards per rushing attempt in 2021, averaging six yards per attempt.
At Ohio State, Kelly will inherit more talented ball carriers than he had in Los Angeles and an experienced offensive line. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins each could make an argument for the mantle of, “best returning running back in the country,” but putting the two of them together should make Kelly’s job an easy one in 2024.
Kelly likes to feature both wide zone and inside zone plays in the running game. These would seem to suit Judkins’ and Henderson’s skill sets, respectively. But both are versatile enough to run both, so there’s an opportunity for Kelly to use Judkins primarily inside and Henderson mainly outside in the Buckeyes’ easier games to establish tendencies that he can break at key moments in bigger matchups, which could spring explosion plays in the run game.
A more successful Ohio State run game will help the passing game. Kelly is known to run play action and roll out his quarterback in bootleg action off of fake handoffs, which can lead to explosive pass plays down the field when a defense starts to commit more numbers in the box or cheat its safeties toward the line of scrimmage.
He’s shown a willingness to set up vertical plays down the field with the wide zone runs and some jet sweep play action. Ohio State has had some success with jet sweeps in recent seasons with both Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr., getting some carries. I expect more of those plays in 2024, both as an attacking move in the run game and to set up big plays when passing.
In short, a steady diet of Judkins and Henderson, and a few jet sweeps thrown in for good measure, can spring big plays over the top to Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, Jeremiah Smith and others.
Kelly’s scheme, if it’s not altered much, could produce excellent results for the OSU offense by expanding the run game and creating looks that will lead to success in the passing game.
Continue reading...