Ryan Day praises how TreVeyon Henderson has embraced Quinshon Judkins

Ohio State was one of the biggest winners in the transfer portal this offseason, able to snag Ole Miss superstar running back Quinshon Judkins despite the presence of veteran TreVeyon Henderson on the roster.

Many marquee players like Henderson would bristle at bringing in another top back. Not Henderson.

“He embraces Quinshon coming in,” coach Ryan Day said at the Big Ten Media Days. “That wasn’t something we were going to do, say force-feed that to TreVeyon. He embraced that. He wanted that. He’s been unbelievable with that, and Quinshon and he have gotten along great.”

Between the two running backs and their collective five seasons in college, the duo has racked up 5,470 rushing yards and 63 touchdowns. Good luck finding that kind of production anywhere else in the country.

And while Quinshon Judkins may get a majority of the hype thanks to his transfer and his ability, TreVeyon Henderson is certainly no slouch.

“When you talk about the running back room in particular, TreVeyon Henderson to me is unbelievable when you talk about how he decided he wanted to come back,” Day said. “He could have been a top-three round draft pick, at the very least. Probably maybe the first guy taken or two. He decided he wanted to come back. Says a lot about him.”

TreVeyon Henderson’s coming off something of a bounce-back year after injuries really impacted his 2022 campaign. He’ll be looking to show he’s fully healthy again and ready for the next level this fall.

That’s where having Judkins on the roster can be a huge benefit. Both guys should be able to stay fresh.

Moreover, they can help tire out opposing defenses for each other, giving a fresh look for the Ohio State offense when they enter the game.

“They understand what this means,” Day said. “They know how long the season is going to be. That’s just a great example of guys who are being unselfish, but I think you’re going to see that across the board on our team right now. There is that feeling of, ‘We just want to win’ and that’s how hungry they are.”