The rule of three suggests that good things often come in threes. After all, there have been three musketeers, three stooges and even three little pigs.
In Ohio’s backfield, the same rule will apply as coach Frank Solich will have a trio of running backs returning to the fold, with each looking to play a prominent role in what the Bobcats want to accomplish on offense.
First on the depth chart is redshirt senior Beau Blankenship. The Oklahoma native ran for a school-record 1,604 yards on the ground, while scoring 15 touchdowns, which is the second highest single-season mark in program history.
In addition to the statistical achievements, Blankenship has also earned national accolades, with his name appearing on the Maxwell and Doak Walker Award watch lists, which award the best player in the country and the best running back, respectively.
Behind him is senior Ryan Boykin, who rushed for 445 yards and six yards per carry in seven games during an injury-plagued 2012 season.
Third on the depth chart at running back is sophomore Daz’mond Patterson, who only carried the ball 34 times for one touchdown last season, but served as the primary return man on kickoffs.
The depth at the position gives Solich and offensive coordinator Tim Albin a plethora of options to experiment with leading up to the season opener on Sept. 1 in Louisville.
And a healthy Boykin and a more experienced Patterson will be looking to lift some of the burden from Blankenship’s shoulders, who carried the ball 312 times last season.
“I know we basically put it all on Beau’s back last year and he accepted that and he kind of relishes that,” Solich said. “And he wants to be that type of performer and wants that many carries.
“But in all actuality, I think we’re going have a very good group of running backs this year, and if they remain healthy, Beau can get some help.”
Blankenship, in tune with how Solich described him, would be happy with a workload similar to last season.
“I’d like to carry it just as much,” Blankenship said. “We’ll see how it plays out, but I’m mentally and physically ready to carry the load.”
On the other end of the spectrum is the speedy Patterson, who said that each of the three have their own, unique skill set that they bring to the offense.
“I feel like I’m a change of pace type of back, whereas Boykin is pretty much a bruiser,” Patterson said. “I mean, you have to respect his game, as well as Beau’s, who kind of slashes everybody. He’ll bust one open at any time.”
He also recognizes that while he looks to the Blankenship and Boykin as leaders, they’re also competitors.
“I can learn a lot from them and things that they do,” Patterson said. “But at the same time, we’re in competition as well. I mean, I never let them think that I’m not trying to be number one any day. I understand the situation, but I work to be number one.”
ch203310@ohiou.edu
