OSU running short of backs

By Bill Rabinowitz

The Columbus Dispatch

COLUMBUS

The football gods might have something against Stan Drayton.

A year ago, he was Ohio State’s receivers coach. None of his players caught more than 14 passes during that disastrous 2011 season.

When Urban Meyer was hired, Drayton was switched to coaching running backs, which is more his forte. He had five scholarship tailbacks on hand, more than enough, he figured. Now, because of injuries and inexperience, he must prepare for Saturday’s game against California not knowing if he will have any tailbacks with whom he will be comfortable.

Starter Carlos Hyde is out because of a knee sprain suffered last week against Central Florida. Before that, freshman Warren Ball was lost for the season to a foot injury. Freshman Bri’onte Dunn and sophomore Rod Smith filled in for Hyde, but each made errors that have caused coaches to question their reliability.

Sounds like it would be a good time for Jordan Hall to return from a torn foot tendon, and that could happen. An ideal fit for the spread offense, Hall was the starter until he stepped on a shard of glass outside his apartment this summer and needed surgery.

Drayton said that Hall has been medically cleared. His availability on Saturday will be determined by practice this week.

“He’s going to be rusty,” Drayton said. “It’s an offense based on timing. He has to get in with the quarterbacks and get extra work.”

It’s premature, then, to count on Hall. It also could be unwise to count on Dunn or Smith.

Drayton described their performances as “not very good” against Central Florida because of missed assignments.

“They have to have an unbelievable week of practice this week to earn their time on the field,” Drayton said.

Dunn has shown promise in his limited action. He gained 29 yards on five carries against UCF, including a 13-yarder. But there’s more to playing running back than being an effective ball-carrier. He must also know and execute blocking assignments. In the spread, he must be able to run precise routes and recognize when to adjust them.

“A lot of things that have to be checked off that list before they’re cleared to play,” Drayton said.

Smith has all the physical tools sought in a running back. But he has not converted that into performance. He jeopardized last year’s victory over Toledo with a fumble and played sparingly the rest of the regular season.