There is a narrative surrounding Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud that he can’t run the ball. Correction, there is a narrative that Stroud won’t run the ball.
To be fair, Stroud hasn’t helped change this narrative. In his lone season as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback so far, Stroud was credited with 32 carries for -20 yards, although college football includes sack yardage in a quarterback’s rushing stats. His longest run in 2021 was for 15 yards against Oregon early in the year and his lone rushing touchdown last season against Michigan was wiped off the board due to a holding call.
Following Justin Fields’ two years in Columbus, it was strange for Buckeye fans to see a quarterback often refuse to run when the opportunity was there. Even Dwayne Haskins, in no way a mobile quarterback, rushed for 108 yards and four touchdowns in his one season as the Scarlet and Gray’s starter in 2018.
Stroud heard complaints from fans about his willingness, or lack thereof, to run. He was asked about the topic by media members so much that he got frustrated with the questions.
“If my job was to run the ball, I’d be a running back or something,” Stroud said after a win against Nebraska last season. “I throw the ball for a living. Sometimes, of course, it might look obvious when you throw the ball and everybody runs to the ball, ‘Oh, he should have ran it.’ But I feel like I do my job when my number is called.”
Despite what happened last year, it seems Stroud will be more willing to run the ball in 2022. In speaking last week about the work he’s done to improve as a player this offseason, the quarterback brought up his speed.
“I feel the best I’ve ever felt in my life,” Stroud said. “I’ve been PRing (personal record) in squat, I PRed in bench and I PRed in my running. I forgot the mile per hour I hit, but I PRed in that. So I’m the fastest I’ve been since I’ve been alive.”
To be fair to Stroud, in 2021, Ohio State didn’t need the quarterback to run the ball. In addition to star freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson, Stroud had Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, three of the best wide receivers in college football. In his mind, getting the ball to those weapons was not only his job but also the best way for the offense to move the team down the field.
It’s hard to argue with Stroud. The Buckeyes had the top-ranked offense in the country and two of his three receivers were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft last spring.
Even with the Scarlet and Gray’s potential replacements for Olave and Wilson, Stroud may have to do more with his legs than he did a year ago. Fortunately, he’s capable.
Ohio State fans may remember that Stroud’s first collegiate touchdown came on a 48-yard run against Michigan State in 2020.
“I think that C.J. does a great job of what he’s asked to do,” Buckeye quarterback coach Corey Dennis said. “He’ll definitely do it to the best of his ability. And it’s kind of funny, he’s always been able to run. It’s not that he hasn’t been able to run. I think his first touchdown was a long run against Michigan State. So he’s definitely athletic. He’s definitely talented. He definitely has the things where he can run around a little bit and then if it calls for him to run the ball, he’ll definitely run the ball.”
With the way the Scarlet and Gray’s offense is constructed under Ryan Day, they don’t need Stroud to run the ball as often as Braxton Miller or J.T. Barrett did when Urban Meyer was the head coach. But if Stroud can at least keep defenses honest with the threat of his legs and occasionally pick up yards when needed, that will make Ohio State that much more dangerous.
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“Any time you can get a cheap first down, it’s important,” Dennis said. “If he’s asked to do it, he’ll definitely do it for sure.
“He’s moving great. He’s healthy, He’s strong. He’s fast. He’s definitely running around. He looks good out there for sure.”
The post Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud is ‘the fastest I’ve been,’ but a more willing runner in 2022? first appeared on Eatory.my.id.
