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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Ohio State football has a new face of its running back room, and he comes with a record-breaking comparison
Ohio State is handing the keys to its starting running back job over to a player ready to take on the reigns as its next star.
www.cleveland.com
Ohio State football has a new face of its running back room, and he comes with a record-breaking comparison
James Peoples knows what he signed up for when he chose Ohio State as his home as a college football running back.
He knew that more than likely, he’d have to spend his freshman season being more of an observer, waiting his turn behind TreVeyon Henderson. When Ohio State added Quinshon Judkins as an Ole Miss transfer, that didn’t change. It just added one more person in front of him in line, and he saw it as an opportunity instead of an obstacle.
It’s been a blessing in disguise,” Peoples told cleveland.com. “I’m thankful to have those guys in the room because I’ve been able to gain so much knowledge, not just of the position, but how college football is and how to handle certain situations and overcome adversity. Seeing Trey and Q, how they go through adversity, how they handle it and now how they overcome it. It’s been a blessing.”
Peoples only played 94 snaps last season while watching Henderson and Judkins each run for 1,000 yards. But he used those snaps to do the only thing possible last season, at least from a public perspective. Henderson and Judkins were a one-year thing. It was on Peoples to flash an upside that suggested life without them would be fine.
He accomplished that with 197 yards and two touchdowns on 49 carries. But now the real work starts.
The Texas native has quickly gone from a young guy learning how to play college football, to the leader and face of a running back group that is arguably deeper than last season. But the list of people concerned about it isn’t very long.
Some of those people think the ceiling might even be higher, starting with Peoples.
“Yeah, he’s going to be really good,” Henderson said of Peoples at the NFL Combine. “He’s smart. The way that he goes about his business, he’s mature. He’s growing as a person and as a player. So, yeah, definitely, Ohio State, that running back room is in great hands.
“He has a build like J.K. Dobbins and I kind of see some similarities in their game as well. I know J.K. Dobbins; he was a great running back. I feel like he’s not talked about enough, but man, his career here, you watch his highlights, they’re great. I remember before I committed here, I remember watching J.K. Dobbins highlights, every one of his years here, like four or five times. He was such a great back. I feel like when I see J.K. Dobbins when I see James Peoples, I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same.”
That’s a high bar. Dobbins had three straight 1,000-yard seasons and ran for a school-record 2,003 yards in 2019 on his way to being a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s best running back.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Likely Ohio State starter admits one thing he wants to be carried over from the National Championship team
Ohio State may be set to have a running back duo leading the way once again in 2025. James Peoples is the leading returner as a true sophomore, but Ohio State brought in West Virginia transfer RB CJ Donaldson Jr., who is going to see significant snaps. Last week, Peoples admitted he wants to see the touches split like they were last season.
“I would prefer that. (It will help) your body longevity and your lifespan in the league, so it’s a big help,” Peoples said recently. “I do see us doing that again. Ultimately, it’s up to Coach Lock (Locklyn). But I do feel like that’s what’s going to happen.”
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Smart kid. Tre and Judkins benefitted greatly from that model and I would love to see it continue if we have the right guys back there (which I think we do with Peoples and CJ).Likely Ohio State starter admits one thing he wants to be carried over from the National Championship team
Ohio State may be set to have a running back duo leading the way once again in 2025. James Peoples is the leading returner as a true sophomore, but Ohio State brought in West Virginia transfer RB CJ Donaldson Jr., who is going to see significant snaps. Last week, Peoples admitted he wants to see the touches split like they were last season.
“I would prefer that. (It will help) your body longevity and your lifespan in the league, so it’s a big help,” Peoples said recently. “I do see us doing that again. Ultimately, it’s up to Coach Lock (Locklyn). But I do feel like that’s what’s going to happen.”
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Clever
But if I’m being honest, I saw enough last year that I expect great things
Specifically, I expect fans of other big ten teams to feel like the football gods hate them when they look at his performance in light of us having just lost two high second rounders and in addition to a ridiculous receiver room for what seems like the 10th year in a row and in addition to what is now a very good (at least) tight end room. Yes, I believe that the peoples of the B1G will be beyond jealous of our Peoples
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