Ohio State Buckeyes Spring Game Preview: Top Five Players to Watch

Apr 12, 2014; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State scarlet team linebacker Camren Williams (55) safety Chris Worley (35) and defensive back Ron Tanner (20) tackle Ohio State gray team running back Bri’onte Dunn (25) during the Ohio State Buckeyes spring game at Ohio Stadium. The scarlet team won the game 17-7. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

3. Backup Running Backs

Spring practice is full of position battles with players jockeying for playing time and trying to climb the depth chart. There is no question who the starting running back for Ohio State is after Ezekiel Elliott ran for 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns last year as a sophomore and earned MVP honors in the national championship game, but the backup job is up for grabs.

Redshirt junior Bri’onte Dunn has played sparingly in his Buckeye career but has the chance to see his biggest workload this season. He is nursing an injury so his availability for the spring game isn’t clear, but with Curtis Samuel playing H-back and fellow redshirt junior running back Warren Ball not much of a factor so far in his career, he has a chance to seize the No. 2 job behind Elliott.

Should Elliott miss any time this year, they’ll need to know if they can rely on Dunn or if incoming freshman Mike Weber will have to be thrust into early playing time.

Next: Breakout Wide Receiver Candidates