Scarlet Sunrise: PFF ranks Ohio State running back room near top of FBS

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PFF ranks Ohio State running back room near top of FBS

This is the last year the Big Ten will have divisions. And, boy, it could be the most competitive year of the Big Ten East yet.

Last season, the division sent both Michigan and Ohio State to the College Football Playoff. To put that in perspective, an entire conference has had two bids in the same year of the CFP only three other times in the event’s nine-year existence.

This time around, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State are all in the CFP conversation this preseason. All three of those teams just so happen to have some of the best running back rooms in the nation.

Actually, according to Pro Football Focus college football analyst Max Chadwick, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State do have the three-best backfields in the country — in that order, too.

The Wolverines, Buckeyes and Nittany Lions each have an impressive running back tandem. Michigan is led by Blake Corum, who was seventh in Heisman Trophy voting last year, and Donovan Edwards, who shredded Ohio State in Corum’s absence last November. The Buckeyes’ rushing attack is fueled by TreVeyon Henderson, who led the team on the ground in 2021, and Miyan Williams, the team’s leading rusher in 2022. Then there’s Penn State, which features Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, a pairing that combined for 1,928 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns as true freshmen last season.

When discussing Michigan, Chadwick crowned Corum as the best running back in the nation and Edwards as the best No. 2 back in the FBS. It’s hard to argue with the Edwards proclamation, given that he combined for 520 rushing yards in the regular season finale against Ohio State, the Big Ten Championship versus Purdue and the Fiesta Bowl CFP semifinal against TCU.

Here’s what Chadwick had to say about the Buckeyes’ running backs:

“Ohio State’s duo trails only Michigan’s as the best in the country. As a true freshman in 2021, TreVeyon Henderson’s 6.8 yards per carry led all Power Five running backs. A broken bone in his foot forced him to miss five games as a sophomore, leading to Miyan Williams taking the reins. Among Power Five running backs this past season, he was fourth in forced missed tackle rate (38%), yards after contact per attempt (4.4) and first down/touchdown rate (38.3%). 

“To top it all off, true freshman Dallan Hayden earned an 80.6 grade on 215 snaps in 2022 as well.”

Max Chadwick, PFF college football analyst

And here’s Chadwick’s complete top 10, when it comes to ranking the country’s best running back rooms:

1. Michigan
2. Ohio State
3. Penn State
4. Georgia
5. Alabama
6. Ole Miss
7. Arkansas
8. Oregon
9. Florida State
10. Wisconsin

Looking back at Lathan Ransom’s special stretch on special teams

Despite late-season blunders, Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom still had a breakout 2022, for which he was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the best defensive back in college football.

Ransom, however, stood out as more than just a defensive back last year. He also made game-changing plays on special teams, two of which occurred in back-to-back weeks.

We wound back the clock to recount those moments. For the full story on Ransom’s heroics in the game’s third phase, head on over here.

Full coverage of Safeties Week at Lettermen Row

Lettermen Row “Safeties Week” is now in the rear view mirror. We recapped our coverage from another installation of our position-by-position preview series here.

You can also check out a bunch of that content below:

READ: Five Questions for intriguing Ohio State safeties room

READ: Perry Eliano growing alongside Buckeyes safeties this offseason

READ: Versatile safety Ja’Had Carter is ‘up for any challenge’ after transferring to Ohio State

WATCH: Taking closer look at state of Buckeyes safeties room

READ: Lathan Ransom becoming complete leader for Buckeyes in secondary

READ: Predicting how Ohio State will use Sonny Styles in 2023

READ: Can Josh Proctor finally break out for Buckeyes secondary?

READ: Cameron Martinez building confidence, seizing nickel spot in Ohio State defense

READ: Making three predictions about Buckeyes safeties

READ: Best-case, worst-case scenarios for Buckeyes safety room

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 48 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 133 days

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