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August 17, 2016FEED ZEKE! LET ZEKE EAT! are phrases that could describe the past two seasons of the Ohio State Buckeyes offense as they have been able to lean on running back Ezekiel Elliott. Whether it was to run the ball, catch passes out of the backfield, or be a tremendous pass blocker, Zeke did it all for the scarlet and gray, which was part of the reason why he was selected with the fourth-overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
Elliott is gone, but head coach Urban Meyer still expects his running backs to mimic Zeke. He has high standards, and Meyer knows how much he needs his new group to do everything Elliott did with the ball in his hands as well as when he didn’t have the ball. Meyer explained it thusly at Ohio State’s recent Media Day.
“Right now, Mike and Curtis are the top two backs in the program, and they’re not Zeke level yet. Curtis is pretty close even for a guy that doesn’t get as many reps at pass protection,” Meyer said. “But Mike’s pretty good, and he won’t play if he won’t. It’s just that’s something that’s very important, and he’s a standup guy, so he’ll — that’s awful high standard to hold him to, but that’s what we’re holding him to.”
Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel are the top two running backs heading into the season with Weber expected to start while Samuel has much more versatility and can play on the outside.
Neither player is Zeke yet, but with development, they might become a clone of No. 15. But, even if Weber and Samuel never are able to do everything that Elliott did, Meyer is impressing on them that Buckeye running backs must not only run the ball but also give J.T. Barrett – or whoever is at quarterback – good protection. Not only to save them from being hit, but to give them more time to make a play.
And, if Weber and/or Samuel can even vaguely resemble Elliott, Buckeye Nation has plenty to look forward to from the Ohio State backfield this fall.
2 Comments
I think Zeke is the best blocking RB i have ever seen at any level.
Maurice Jones-Drew
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvUEgjqKLFA