I’m no Indy and won’t pretend to be, but I would like to foster some good Osu football discussion. I’ll attempt to do some breakdowns of each position group heading into the spring.
In todays day and age of college football I realize the roster can change fluently, but perhaps this will help give us an idea of what we have at each position.
With the coaching turnover at every position we will take a short look at that also.
Position Breakdown - RB
Coach outgoing - John Wozniak
Coach incoming - Cory Patterson
Cory Patterson has experience as a TE coach at Illinois. He has experience as an RB coach at Illinois. He has experience as a WR coach at Purdue. He also was the associate head coach experience at Purdue.
I’ve got some disappointment in this transition. Coach Woz gets a high grade from me regarding his recruiting and coaching while at OSU. And I’m going to give his coaching even more credit because he did a lot of it behind an oline that struggled, making it harder for him to showcase case his guys yet he still managed. I also feel like being a Monken guy and OCDM also worked with Monken that Woz would have been a good fit with the new staff. I’m somewhat surprised we let him go…….unless he wanted to move on?
So what do we have with Corey Patterson? Based on little research and on paper he doesn’t have as much experience coaching the RB position as Woz but I do like what he did with Chase Brown at Illinois. OSU has historically had an ace recruiter at the RB coach spot and that holds true with Patterson. He has some ties to the St Louis area and there is a lot of talent there. I’d venture to guess he will pull some of our higher ranked rated recruits and not just at the RB position. He has a swagger to him that will show in both his coaching and recruiting.
This is what stands out to me about Corey Patterson:
“Prior to entering coaching, Patterson worked in corporate accounting in St. Louis. While an accountant, Patterson volunteered to coach a youth football team at a local Boys & Girls Club in the evenings. His passion to mentor young athletes drew him out of the corporate world and into coaching and teaching as a full-time profession.”
I think this is very telling about what we are getting in Corey Patterson and while he has big shoes to fill in following a guy who coached Justice Hill, Chuba Hubbard, Jaylen Warren, and Ollie Gordon maybe we found a guy that can pave his own path of successful coaching RBs at OSU?
Players outgoing:
Graduates/NFL - Ollie Gordon
Transferred out - AJ Green
Players Incoming:
Recruiting Class - DJ Dugar
Transferred In - Kaleb Hicks So. (Oklahoma)
Players Returning:
Freshman - Rodney Fields, Jaden Allen-Hendrix
Sophomore - Sesi Vailahi
Senior - Trent Howland
I would say it will be hard to replace Ollie Gordon’s production from last year but we simply didn’t do him any favors last year in many aspects and I’m not sure production will be hard to beat? That is not to say we won’t miss Ollie Gordon’s talent. For many reasons, some of which were not his fault, Ollie just didn’t have the season we all had hoped for. The season like he had the year before. So while it sounds weird to say, I do think we can get more production out of this position than we did last year even though we are losing a RB to the NFL.
Trent Howland (6’3 240) and Jaden Allen-Hendrix (6’2 230) are bigger backs whose style equates more to ground and pound football. How does that fit in with OCDM play calling? I’m not sure we have the answer to that, but I do believe there was some smoke to Trent Howland wanting to enter the portal and the coaches convinced him to stay? Somebody who knows better can fill in if that’s true or not? If true, to me that means they have a plan for him and he liked it enough to stay. TCU had a few bigger bodied RB’s so DM isn’t without some experience with that. Developing 2 RB sets where one is bigger and one smaller. Red zone threats. Pounding out a 3rd and 1 or 4th and inches? Roles for these guys.
Sesi Vailahi - Early on in his career I really like his potential. Last year was a major struggle for him. He just did not look good in spot up duty at all to me. But what RB’s with Dunns running game play calling really did? Opposing defenses knew exactly what was coming and when. A fresh start with what we hope to be an energized and improved oline may open things up for this kid a bit?
Kaleb Hicks - I absolutely love this transfer and addition to our backfield. I’ve heard from multiple ou sources that this kid has really good potential. Some feel like he wasn’t given a fair shot to be the guy at ou because of younger but highly rated recruits or even the kid they got out of Carl Albert. While they maybe didn’t have a star emerge yet they did have a loaded running back room. This kid is a freak. He is also a get off the bus first type kid. He looks the part. This was a major win for us. I believe he will be an every down back for us and if he doesn’t win the RB spot he will be RB2.
Rodney Fields - I love this kid. Everything about his game I love. I’ve been wanting us to get a back that fits his style for a long time. A guy in the mold of a Kendal Hunter. A smaller type scat back. Rodney Fields is going to be special for us. His high school tape is fun to watch. He put up big numbers his final year in high school every week. When he got chances last year he was a burst of energy and found openings even when there weren’t any. The biggest issue with Rodney may be one of his strengths also - size. Can he be an every down back? Can he do what Kendall Hunter did? Being smaller he will take some punishment. He maybe smaller in height but he isn’t small in build by any means. He has worked hard and will look similar to a Kaleb Hicks from a sheer impressive build type. I like the change of pace he brings to say Trent Howland. I think Rodney is going to really excel in OCDM’s offense.
My predicted depth chart (2 deep):
RB - Rodney Fields or Kalib Hicks (Sesi Vailahi)
2 back option - Trent Howland (Jaden Allen-Hendrix)
As stated above, I think we might be going back to doing some pretty creative things with our RB’s. Perhaps some 2 back sets or pistol sets with for example a Rodney Fields and Trent Howland in the backfield together. I don’t think we are just going to ignore Trent Howlands talent. A role will be carved out for him in this offense in my opinion.
A few categories to put some guys in:
(The time is now) - I mean this has to be Trent Howland. Quite frankly, he probably could have transferred to a smaller school and been their starter. He is a big bodied RB but perhaps he could be a Chris Carson for us? Howland showed flashes at times last year and he has some good talent but he has to take advantage of this last go around in college for him.
(Question marks) - We could put a lot of our RB’s here because I’m sure we have questions with all of them but I’m going to go with Sesi Vailahi. Even though we have seen him play quite a bit and more than a Kalib Hicks even, his game and what we did see leaves me asking questions as to what he is or what he could develop into.
(Young guys with Big Upside)- Rodney Fields & Kaleb Hicks - I’m big on the potential of both of these guys.
This freshman class:
DJ Dugar - I really like this take for us. Seeing Kansas State and Michigan State on his offer list points to a bigger bodied tough running back. Already 6’1 205 I don’t think it’s out for the question for him to put on 20 pounds and play at 225 or 230. If he can keep his speed with that watch out for this kid. The only thing that makes me nervous is he sat out his Senior year of high school football this last season. Will he stay patient and loyal if he isn’t the guy and develop here or will he hit the portal? Time will tell.
Sunmary:
We need more production out of this position than we got a year ago. And that statement may sound like I’m blaming Ollie Gordon or saying he was not a very good RB. That isn’t what I’m saying at all. Ollie is an NFL back. We just struggled to showcase him last year for different reasons. I really like this RB room. I think it’s a good mixture of different styles and I think we will see some guys arise into stars. I’m excited to see what Corey Patterson can do with them after some of his past experiences - specifically in how he helped Chase Brown.
What about you? Which RB do you think wins the starting job and how many of these guys will play meaningful snaps at RB?
In todays day and age of college football I realize the roster can change fluently, but perhaps this will help give us an idea of what we have at each position.
With the coaching turnover at every position we will take a short look at that also.
Position Breakdown - RB
Coach outgoing - John Wozniak
Coach incoming - Cory Patterson
Cory Patterson has experience as a TE coach at Illinois. He has experience as an RB coach at Illinois. He has experience as a WR coach at Purdue. He also was the associate head coach experience at Purdue.
I’ve got some disappointment in this transition. Coach Woz gets a high grade from me regarding his recruiting and coaching while at OSU. And I’m going to give his coaching even more credit because he did a lot of it behind an oline that struggled, making it harder for him to showcase case his guys yet he still managed. I also feel like being a Monken guy and OCDM also worked with Monken that Woz would have been a good fit with the new staff. I’m somewhat surprised we let him go…….unless he wanted to move on?
So what do we have with Corey Patterson? Based on little research and on paper he doesn’t have as much experience coaching the RB position as Woz but I do like what he did with Chase Brown at Illinois. OSU has historically had an ace recruiter at the RB coach spot and that holds true with Patterson. He has some ties to the St Louis area and there is a lot of talent there. I’d venture to guess he will pull some of our higher ranked rated recruits and not just at the RB position. He has a swagger to him that will show in both his coaching and recruiting.
This is what stands out to me about Corey Patterson:
“Prior to entering coaching, Patterson worked in corporate accounting in St. Louis. While an accountant, Patterson volunteered to coach a youth football team at a local Boys & Girls Club in the evenings. His passion to mentor young athletes drew him out of the corporate world and into coaching and teaching as a full-time profession.”
I think this is very telling about what we are getting in Corey Patterson and while he has big shoes to fill in following a guy who coached Justice Hill, Chuba Hubbard, Jaylen Warren, and Ollie Gordon maybe we found a guy that can pave his own path of successful coaching RBs at OSU?
Players outgoing:
Graduates/NFL - Ollie Gordon
Transferred out - AJ Green
Players Incoming:
Recruiting Class - DJ Dugar
Transferred In - Kaleb Hicks So. (Oklahoma)
Players Returning:
Freshman - Rodney Fields, Jaden Allen-Hendrix
Sophomore - Sesi Vailahi
Senior - Trent Howland
I would say it will be hard to replace Ollie Gordon’s production from last year but we simply didn’t do him any favors last year in many aspects and I’m not sure production will be hard to beat? That is not to say we won’t miss Ollie Gordon’s talent. For many reasons, some of which were not his fault, Ollie just didn’t have the season we all had hoped for. The season like he had the year before. So while it sounds weird to say, I do think we can get more production out of this position than we did last year even though we are losing a RB to the NFL.
Trent Howland (6’3 240) and Jaden Allen-Hendrix (6’2 230) are bigger backs whose style equates more to ground and pound football. How does that fit in with OCDM play calling? I’m not sure we have the answer to that, but I do believe there was some smoke to Trent Howland wanting to enter the portal and the coaches convinced him to stay? Somebody who knows better can fill in if that’s true or not? If true, to me that means they have a plan for him and he liked it enough to stay. TCU had a few bigger bodied RB’s so DM isn’t without some experience with that. Developing 2 RB sets where one is bigger and one smaller. Red zone threats. Pounding out a 3rd and 1 or 4th and inches? Roles for these guys.
Sesi Vailahi - Early on in his career I really like his potential. Last year was a major struggle for him. He just did not look good in spot up duty at all to me. But what RB’s with Dunns running game play calling really did? Opposing defenses knew exactly what was coming and when. A fresh start with what we hope to be an energized and improved oline may open things up for this kid a bit?
Kaleb Hicks - I absolutely love this transfer and addition to our backfield. I’ve heard from multiple ou sources that this kid has really good potential. Some feel like he wasn’t given a fair shot to be the guy at ou because of younger but highly rated recruits or even the kid they got out of Carl Albert. While they maybe didn’t have a star emerge yet they did have a loaded running back room. This kid is a freak. He is also a get off the bus first type kid. He looks the part. This was a major win for us. I believe he will be an every down back for us and if he doesn’t win the RB spot he will be RB2.
Rodney Fields - I love this kid. Everything about his game I love. I’ve been wanting us to get a back that fits his style for a long time. A guy in the mold of a Kendal Hunter. A smaller type scat back. Rodney Fields is going to be special for us. His high school tape is fun to watch. He put up big numbers his final year in high school every week. When he got chances last year he was a burst of energy and found openings even when there weren’t any. The biggest issue with Rodney may be one of his strengths also - size. Can he be an every down back? Can he do what Kendall Hunter did? Being smaller he will take some punishment. He maybe smaller in height but he isn’t small in build by any means. He has worked hard and will look similar to a Kaleb Hicks from a sheer impressive build type. I like the change of pace he brings to say Trent Howland. I think Rodney is going to really excel in OCDM’s offense.
My predicted depth chart (2 deep):
RB - Rodney Fields or Kalib Hicks (Sesi Vailahi)
2 back option - Trent Howland (Jaden Allen-Hendrix)
As stated above, I think we might be going back to doing some pretty creative things with our RB’s. Perhaps some 2 back sets or pistol sets with for example a Rodney Fields and Trent Howland in the backfield together. I don’t think we are just going to ignore Trent Howlands talent. A role will be carved out for him in this offense in my opinion.
A few categories to put some guys in:
(The time is now) - I mean this has to be Trent Howland. Quite frankly, he probably could have transferred to a smaller school and been their starter. He is a big bodied RB but perhaps he could be a Chris Carson for us? Howland showed flashes at times last year and he has some good talent but he has to take advantage of this last go around in college for him.
(Question marks) - We could put a lot of our RB’s here because I’m sure we have questions with all of them but I’m going to go with Sesi Vailahi. Even though we have seen him play quite a bit and more than a Kalib Hicks even, his game and what we did see leaves me asking questions as to what he is or what he could develop into.
(Young guys with Big Upside)- Rodney Fields & Kaleb Hicks - I’m big on the potential of both of these guys.
This freshman class:
DJ Dugar - I really like this take for us. Seeing Kansas State and Michigan State on his offer list points to a bigger bodied tough running back. Already 6’1 205 I don’t think it’s out for the question for him to put on 20 pounds and play at 225 or 230. If he can keep his speed with that watch out for this kid. The only thing that makes me nervous is he sat out his Senior year of high school football this last season. Will he stay patient and loyal if he isn’t the guy and develop here or will he hit the portal? Time will tell.
Sunmary:
We need more production out of this position than we got a year ago. And that statement may sound like I’m blaming Ollie Gordon or saying he was not a very good RB. That isn’t what I’m saying at all. Ollie is an NFL back. We just struggled to showcase him last year for different reasons. I really like this RB room. I think it’s a good mixture of different styles and I think we will see some guys arise into stars. I’m excited to see what Corey Patterson can do with them after some of his past experiences - specifically in how he helped Chase Brown.
What about you? Which RB do you think wins the starting job and how many of these guys will play meaningful snaps at RB?
