An injured Terrelle Pryor would put more pressure on the Ohio State running game, and it's reasonable to question if the Buckeyes could handle that.
OSU's Dan Herron had an excuse for not gaining extra yards on this fourth-quarter play against Illinois' Nate Bussey. But while Herron helped the Buckeyes seal their victory in Champaign, coach Jim Tressel plans to explore all options to boost a flagging running game.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor's strained left quadriceps should improve every day, and so by Saturday, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel expects his quarterback to be fine. OSU receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said Pryor took all the snaps with the first-team offense on Tuesday and looked to be the same as always.
The Buckeyes got a taste of life without Pryor on Saturday, though, and Sanzenbacher knows that if Pryor isn't himself against Indiana in three days, the Hoosiers' defense will adjust to defend an offense where the quarterback is less of a threat.
"It'd be dumb not to if you thought you could exploit something like that," Sanzenbacher said.
That would put more pressure on the rest of Ohio State's running game, and after Saturday, it's reasonable to question if the Buckeyes could handle that. The Ohio State running backs gained 109 yards on 31 carries, a 3.5-yard average.
"I don't know what happened, it just wasn't us," OSU senior left guard Justin Boren said. "I don't think one game should define who we are as a unit. If you look at the previous four games, as an offensive line we played well. Granted on Saturday we did not put together a good performance. We know after watching the film, we have to get after it this week."
On several plays Saturday, no running back would have done much, particularly when Illinois defensive lineman Corey Liuget took turns beating Boren, center Mike Brewster and right guard Bryant Browning. Liuget blew up several running plays before they got started.
But on others, holes were there and lanes weren't taken. The Buckeyes are set on the offensive line, barring injury, so all those linemen can do is get better. But at tailback, there are options other than the status quo.
For the season, top tailbacks Dan Herron and Brandon Saine have combined for 470 yards on 109 carries, a 4.3 average. But since the opener against Marshall, their average has been the same at it was against Illinois -- 3.5 over the last four weeks.
The first half against Illinois was a low point, as Herron and Saine combined for just 15 yards on seven carries.
"Had that occurred the entire game, I'm sure that concern would be deeper," Tressel said. "Yeah, we couldn't have won that ball game had we not started running the ball better, especially the nature of that game. That was an old-fashioned Big Ten slugfest."
The Buckeyes didn't win it by running it the way they'd done it most of the year, sharing the load. They won it by leaning on Herron, who had 19 carries and 89 yards in the second half compared to five carries for nine yards for Saine.
Brandon Saine remains the Buckeyes' best receiving threat coming out of the backfield, but will he get enough carries for defenses to take him seriously?So what might happen Saturday?
1. The Buckeyes could go back to Saine and Herron sharing the carries. Saine remains a threat in the passing game, and to maximize that, the Buckeyes need to continue giving him carries at tailback. If he becomes only a receiving threat, he may not create the same mismatches in coverage.
On some runs, Saine has had no chance, with defenders hitting him immediately. On others, he has been indecisive in making cuts and finding the right hole.
"I think his performance has been solid," Tressel said of Saine. "He hasn't had the running yards. I'm not sure who would have in the situations he just happened to be in, but Brandon Saine adds a dimension of speed and versatility that we have to absolutely use. So have we figured out exactly how to maximize that? Probably not. But that's what you do during the course of a season."
2. The Buckeyes lean on Herron as a No. 1 back, giving him more of Saine's carries. It would look a lot more like the second half.
"You could feel that Boom was getting a little momentum going," Tressel said, "and a little energy and electricity and the whole group."
But in general, Tressel said he doesn't really subscribe to the idea that one back needs more carries to find his way and increase his production.
3. The Buckeyes could add No. 3 tailback Jordan Hall into the mix. Tressel has been praising him all season, and he's done well as a kick and punt returner. He has 72 yards on 13 carries this season, but he hasn't yet been used in a meaningful spot in a game that was in doubt.
"I have one million percent faith in Jordan Hall," Tressel said, echoing similar sentiments he expressed previously. "He's going to make a difference this season, he already has. Gosh, his punt and kickoff returns. He is a good runner. ... I wish we had more carries available, but you're going to see Jordan Hall."
The carries are limited, but the running game can't be.
Terrelle Pryor is part of the running game as well, so, for instance, right tackle J.B. Shugarts deserves credit for blocking two Illinois players on the edge to spring Pryor's 66-yard sprint on a called running play.
But there's more to a running game than a fast quarterback. So the Buckeyes have to make sure they're creating and hitting the right holes, and handing the ball to the right guys.