The Ohio State Acquires A Talented Running Back Transfer news today.

The Ohio State Acquires A Talented Running Back Transfer news today.

The 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes have had a busy start to the season. Ohio State is once again accepting transfers to strengthen the roster after having a pretty active program in the Transfer Portal the previous year. The addition of Will Howard has improved the quarterback situation. Then, the Buckeyes brought in Alabama’s Seth McLaughlin, a seasoned interior offensive lineman. Now, former Ole Miss star Quinshon Judkins stated that he will join a stacked backfield.

Quinshon Judkins moves from Ole Miss Rebel Yell to Ohio State

Player productivity like Judkins’ seldom appears on the field. Judkins was among the top SEC running backs during his two seasons with Lane Kiffin’s Rebels.

A three-star athlete from Alabama, Judkins was a prospect. For the talented back’s services, Ole Miss fought off a few SEC opponents in addition to Notre Dame.

Though Judkins wasn’t a four- or five-star recruit, he soon established himself as a starter. Judkins had a huge first season, rushing for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns. He completely destroyed Kayo Dottley’s 1949 single-season record of 1,312 yards gained by Ole Miss running backs. On the ground, he went over 100 yards eight times and over 200 twice. Judkins had just under 1,700 scrimmage yards at the end of the 2022 season after accounting for receiving yards.

Both in yards and touchdowns, he topped the SEC.

Defenses focused on Judkins last year, and as a result, he was slightly less effective. Even so, he finished second in yards (1,158) and led the SEC in touchdowns (15). In 2023, he completed a 100-yard pass six times, including in his last two games. Judkins scored 106 yards against one of the top rush defenses in the country, Penn State, which allows 69.7 yards per game.

Judkins has amassed 2,725 career running yards, which is third highest in Ole Miss history only behind two players with four years of eligibility. He ranks second with 31 touchdowns. Judkins averages a career-high five yards per carry.

Three running backs for Ohio State had decisions to make in the days after the Cotton Bowl. Miyan Williams has made the decision to enter the NFL Draft. Then, following two years in Columbus, Chip Trayanum made the decision to return through the Transfer Portal. Trayanum went south to commit to Kentucky after attending Arizona State, Ohio State, and Kentucky. A depth player named Evan Pryor chose to transfer to Cincinnati just to be safe.

TreVeyon Henderson is the only person left. There have been rumors that he is considering going back to school very seriously. This Ohio State running back room is ready to be scary if he does. Ohio State has three running backs that might spearhead this offense when Quinson Judkins is added.

Throughout his three years at Ohio State, Henderson has struggled with injuries. He has demonstrated that he is one of the most dynamic running backs in the country when healthy. When incapacitated, less so. Although he has amassed 2,745 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air, he hasn’t nearly completed a full, healthy season like he did in 2021 as a rookie.

Dallan Hayden is in the wings, waiting behind him. While Ryan Day was trying to keep his redshirt, Hayden did not play much in 2023. Throughout 2022, he made intermittent appearances despite the room’s ailments. As a rookie, he ran for 553 yards and five touchdowns.

Howard’s life at quarterback will be a lot simpler with Judkins, Henderson, and Hayden delivering a one-two-three punch. Each of the three backs is a potential home run threat, which will add even more explosiveness to the Ohio State attack in 2023—something it sorely needed.

Quinshon Judkins is Ohio State’s third addition from a southern state. Howard came in first from Kansas State (well, Kansas isn’t quite south of South, but it is farther south than Ohio). Then McLaughlin came up from Alabama via a gateway. Judkins now resides in Columbus with Davison Igbinosun, a classmate and former teammate who is a 2022 recruit.

There has been some degree of annoyance with Day’s Transfer Portal use up to this point. Those annoyances ought to subside after adding a third prospective starter with a track record of success.