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- Thread starter pnuts34
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Have you actually seen him play? 2-5 rushes per game would be a fireable offense for all offensive coaches.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Under-the-radar Ohio State transfer addition hopes physical transformation redefines his ceiling
When the Ohio State Buckeyes added senior running back CJ Donaldson from West Virginia in the transfer portal, the coaching staff likely had planned for him to fill a specific role. While running backs coach Carlos Locklyn has been clear that everyone in the Buckeyes' backfield is fighting for touches, Donaldson was a solid power option who thrived as an RB2.Changing that role seemed impossible, and at worst, would be a sign that one of Ohio State's five young backs emerging into a bigger star.
However, the fallout from Ohio State's first spring practice has forced us to reconsider whether Donaldson's experience will be different than expected. On the latest episode of Talking Stuff from THE Podcast, Ohio State beat writer Jeremy Birmingham was surprised to see Donaldson cut down from his listed 240-pound weight.
Here was my initial analysis on the addition of Donaldson, pointing toward a shift toward a run game that we often saw at Alabama under Nick Saban.
The potential wrench in the plan I outlined above would be if Donaldson is now a more lean presence and his play style isn't as linear. No other back on the Buckeyes has his overall size, which is not surprising given he has at least three years of physical maturation as a foundation compared to the first and second-year runners in the backfield.
There's a lot of hope that James Peoples or Bo Jackson will be able to be the 1A for this team. All five young backs have their own strengths and weaknesses to consider, and it might be too easy to overvalue Peoples' 49 carries as the RB3 in 2024. This is a wide open race right now.
Donaldson has the firmest foundation, and the fact he was added means there's no situation he won't be a top-three back. His size and pedigree suggests he'll also be the short-yardage and goal line back. In the winter, I thought the worst cast was an RB2 role but only a decent upside as RB1.
A leaner Donaldson could actually backfire a bit if he doesn't adjust his play style. He's not overly strong beyond his size but his lack of finesse and foot speed might not be fixed by shedding 10-15 pounds. He might simply be less effective at what he was good at.
However, it could swing the opposite way and unearth a drastically more dynamic athlete. The thought of a chiseled 225-pound version of Donaldson who still has the power advantage and a newfound quickness could bury some of these young backs behind him.
We'll eventually see how his movement ability has been effected, but the upside for Donaldson and the Buckeyes is well-worth his effort to shed weight. His previous upside was inherently limited, even if there was value in that role.
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RugbyBuck
Our church has no bells.
I'm feeling pretty good about this guy. I like that he saw what a year at tOSU did for QJ and that he's taking, clearly by working with Mick and cutting that weight, his final year seriously. That will also be helpful for Peoples and the fact that two stars co-existed and won an NC last year means nobody on this year's team can bitch or pout about game reps.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Donaldson says he feels much faster now that he’s practicing at a lighter weight.
“I feel like I'm running like the Flash right now,” Donaldson said. “I definitely feel quicker and more explosive.”
While Ohio State wanted Donaldson to lose some weight, it still wants Donaldson to be a power back. His size is one trait that makes him unique compared to 210-pound sophomore James Peoples, the running back he’s expected to split carries with in Ohio State’s backfield this season, and Locklyn wants his running backs to have different strengths that complement each other.
That said, Locklyn believes there’s a lot more to Donaldson’s game than just being big and strong.
“I look at him as a slasher,” Locklyn said. “He has good enough speed, great hands, but he's a slasher, a big guy. Big guys often win with the little guys, so he's gonna fall forward. But I look at him as a slasher with power. Got really good feet for a big guy. Really good hands and good vision. So (the weight loss is) gonna help him a little bit with probably his longer speed, but he is good.”
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He’s brimming with confidence in his ability to do so because of the difference Ohio State has already made on him in just two months.
“It’s been off the charts,” Donaldson said. “They’ve developed me like from day one, like since the day I stepped on campus. The workouts, my eating habits, where I need to get to in my body weight, what I need to improve on to develop into an NFL running back and have an opportunity to get to that level. And just them investing into me as much as possible, like day in and day out, they invest a lot.”
Just sayin': Over the years I've been wondering why more Ohio State running backs never seem to consistently "fall forward".
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CJ interests me quite a bit and I was thinking back to Sermon and more recently Judkins in terms of RB transfers. Sermon came in with modest stats but great talent, then thrived here. I think that could be CJ's trajectory if he keeps up the work. Judkins came in with the accolades but stepped it up to another level. CJ seems to have the ability to have a similar impact even if Peoples is the lead RB1.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Just sayin': Let's hope that is just one of many TDs he gets this season.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Ohio State Buckeyes made a big statement with their key transfer addition against Texas, and his role looks bigger than expected
The Buckeyes’ key transfer is going to be a big part of the offense.
When looking just at the stats from the Ohio State Buckeyes’ impressive win over the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, you might ask yourself: how did that happen? The Buckeyes finished with only 203 yards of total offense compared to Texas’ 336.
Still, Ohio State led 14-0 until the fourth quarter, then held on for a 14-7 win. The defense was the difference, but the offense did just enough to secure the win. Even if the Buckeyes held back some of the playbook for Julian Sayin, he still operated the offense more efficiently than Arch Manning did for Texas.
Ohio State may have surprised some people with how they handled the running back position
Coming into the season, the expectation was that true sophomore James Peoples would be the lead back, while West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson would serve as the No. 2 option with fewer touches. That wasn’t the case at all against Texas. It’s only one game, but Donaldson looked every bit like Ohio State’s lead back.Donaldson and Peoples were the only two backs to see snaps. Donaldson logged 42 snaps to Peoples’ 20, rushing 19 times for 67 yards and a touchdown. Peoples had 10 carries for just 20 yards. It was clear the Buckeyes trusted the more experienced transfer in a big game — and he looked like the better player, too.
When he arrived from West Virginia, Donaldson weighed more than 240 pounds and was known as a bruising back who specialized in tough yards. While still a powerful runner, he’s now closer to 227 pounds and looks noticeably more explosive. On Saturday, Donaldson was the one planting his foot and getting upfield, while Peoples hesitated at times.
Ohio State will need both backs this season, and it wouldn’t be surprising if each cleared 800 rushing yards. But through one game, it’s obvious the Buckeyes view Donaldson as their primary option — and it wasn’t close. A year after splitting carries between TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State looks to be shifting its approach in 2025.
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