Ohio State: How will Buckeyes manage loaded H-back position?

The speculation, debate and conversations about Ohio State never end, and Lettermen Row is always ready to dive into the discussions. All week long, senior writer Austin Ward will field topics on Ryan Day and the Buckeyes submitted by readers and break down anything that’s on the minds of the Best Damn Fans in the Land. Have a question that needs to be tackled, like the one today about H-back options for the Buckeyes? Send it in right here — and check back daily for the answers.

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As if the H-back position in the Ohio State offense already wasn’t versatile enough, now coach Ryan Day has a roster loaded with enough dynamic athletes that he can seemingly do whatever he wants with that role. That’s the dream of any play-caller, with the only real issue creeping in when it’s time to make hard decisions about playing time when there are so many deserving candidates.

Do the Buckeyes want to primarily feature the pass-catching ability of K.J. Hill? Does the role lend itself more now to rushing ability, therefore providing a path for Demario McCall into the rotation? Maybe Jaelen Gill is ready to unleash his speed and become the next Parris Campbell for the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes might also consider that a potential spot where C.J. Saunders can carve out a niche as a slot receiver who can share some responsibilities with Hill as one of the veteran targets in the passing attack.

Clearly the Buckeyes have no shortage options, and that’s not a surprise given how productive that position has been for the last few years and how well the program annually recruits. The most likely plan of attack, though, will revolve around Hill thanks to his decision to put off the NFL for another season. Ohio State has already featured him regularly over the last couple seasons as a complement to Campbell, and his workload figures to increase a bit now that he’s essentially alone on top of the depth chart.

The tricky part comes for the Buckeyes as they figure out the best way forward with McCall, who has bounced between flashes as a dazzling weapon, stints dealing with injuries and problems with ball security. He’s also had the challenge at times of being passed back and forth between the wideout and the running backs, which would seem to lend itself to the dual-threat role as a rusher and receiver but has probably also made it tough for him to learn and develop in one spot. McCall will again be one of the most fascinating players to watch in spring practice, because Ohio State may need to decide once and for all where he fits best.

The emergence of Gill might wind up being a key factor in that discussion after spending his first season with the program appearing in just two games and taking a redshirt. The Westerville native was recruited as a potential heir to Campbell thanks to his similar all-purpose, game-changing background in high school. And if his development year on the sideline has Gill ready to tap into his four-star potential, the Buckeyes could slide him into the second spot behind Hill and keep the focus on incorporating those two into the game plan.

It obviously doesn’t hurt that Ohio State can go deeper than that if it needs to at H-back. But it’s also important to remember that there is only one football, and there won’t be enough touches to go around to keep everybody happy.

The only certainty is that Hill is going to be heavily involved for the Buckeyes. Beyond that, Gill or McCall might want to win that head-to-head battle if they want to get the football in their hands much this season.

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