Ohio State star and first-team All Big Ten running back TreVeyon Henderson will return to the Buckeyes for his senior year, he announced Friday. His announcement comes after Ohio State landed a commitment from Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins, who is the top-ranked running back of the transfer cycle, according to 247Sports.
The two will combine to give the Buckeyes what should be an electric backfield tandem in 2024. Henderson is merely the latest Ohio State star to spurn the draft in favor of an another college season as Ohio State seeks a return to its title-winning ways.
As the No. 2 ranked running back in the 2024 CBS Sports NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, Henderson could have been an early-to-mid round selection in April after rushing for 926 yards and 11 touchdowns in 10 games last season.
Once Judkins committed, many assumed Henderson's departure was imminent. However, his return will give head coach Ryan Day the option of pushing his offense in a more run-oriented direction next season as Ohio State seeks to reclaim Big Ten superiority. Henderson ranked as a five-star prospect in the Class of 2021 and has delivered on the hype by amassing 2,745 yards rushing in three seasons, even while dealing with injuries the past two years.
Henderson and Judkins together
With Henderson and Judkins in the backfield, Ohio State will be better equipped to deal with diminished quarterback play in 2024. Following a wave stellar quarterback play that predates Day's coaching tenure, the Buckeyes dealt with a drop off at the position in 2023 as Kyle McCord took the job.
McCord threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns, but fell short of the elite standard set by his predecessors such as CJ Stroud and Justin Fields. He transferred to Syracuse after the regular season. Even with Kansas State transfer Will Howard in the fold at quarterback, the Buckeyes are unlikely to produce as potent a passing game in 2024 as they have enjoyed for much of the past decade.
But with Henderson and Judkins together, they can shift into a run-oriented style that relies more heavily on an ever-improving defense. At 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Judkins profiles similarly to Henderson, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 212 pounds. Judkins surpassed 1,000 yards rushing each of the past two seasons at Ole Miss and is ranked the No. 5 overall transfer of the cycle by 247Sports. Both are punishing runners and capable pass catchers who can alternate plays or possessions without any dramatic change to the game plan.
In 2019 and 2020 LSU and Alabama used high-flying passing attacks to go a combined 28-0 and win national championships. But over the past three seasons, the balance of power in college football has shifting back toward grinding, physical football. Georgia won titles in 2021 and 2022 on the back of elite defenses while playing a former walk-on at quarterback in Stetson Bennett IV. Michigan's national title in 2023 also came on the back of a dominant defense and a great running game.
Ohio State has lost three straight to Michigan. But the Buckeyes' 2024 roster is shaping up to have the physicality and force required to match the mold for success the Wolverines have established. Henderson's announcement only underscores that idea.
Good news on defense
Henderson's announcement wasn't the only bit of good news for Ohio State on Friday as star defensive end JT Tuimoloau also announced his return. The former five-star prospect cited "a sense of unfinished business, and an unbreakable bond with my Buckeye brothers" in a social media post announcing his decision.
Despite ranking as the No. 4 EDGE and No. 23 overall player in the 2023 CBS Sports NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, Tuimoloau is returning to help anchor a defense that is shaping up to be nasty in 2024. With Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, Jack Sawyer, Ty Hamilton and others returning, the Buckeyes should be able to continue building one of the nation's fiercest defenses under under coordinator Jim Knowles, who has elevated the unit considerably in his first two seasons on the job.
