Monroe,

If he had "superior" talent he'd be playing with regularity. It's not like he just arrived on campus. He's been in Athens 2 years. I trust the coaches .. they're paid to win games and to do so they put the best team on the field that they see based on performance week in and week out. With your logic we should be playing 4th string guys. Given the OL weakness at times should we do the same there?

Ummm, I...I....I. No words.

The thing about A.J. is that last season as soon as the fumble problems arose he stepped up as the solution. Playing with injuries he finished seventh in the MAC in Rushing, ahead of Stingily from NIU. He received Preseason All MAC recognition from Athlon and Phil Steele. He displays toughness, plays clean, does not screw up, blocks, can catch and dials it up close to the goal line. Something I remember is that he walked in the door one of the strongest RBs and Edmonds was pretty damned strong. I understand he is stronger this season. Do not assume Ohio has a more powerful RB.

If memory serves, the staff was trying out a lot of 3rd and 4th string guys during a decent chunk of those games because everyone else was injured. So I guess you could say we were trying out new people and the ones who were in were proving why they weren't starters. If a guy is on the 4th string, there's a reason.

Arkley did press him on this topic in his weekly press conference. At about the 13:44 mark, Arkley asks Solich why they haven't been able to get as deep into the roster at running back as they had indicated before the season that they wanted to. Solich answer was:

"We're still talking about that, and we're trying to figure out a way to get that done [get reps to Dorian and Maleek]. and they are really good players, and they have both practiced really well, and they are great team guys, you don't get any better team guys than what they are when it comes time to step on the field you know, and if they are asked to run scout team for a few plays, they are more than willing to do that, and they do a great job of it, and they have talent, so you WANT to try to, you want to try to get that talent on the field some, so we will continue to look at trying to get that done. It's easier if you start to find yourself in a game where you have a lot of reps, and you know, if your reps aren't up there, it get tougher to play other guys, but we have guys that CAN PLAY that aren't getting playing time, and we'd like to see that change."

The last several weeks Ohio has played teams who had stopping the run as their strength, and all of them committed to stopping the run first, and forcing Ohio to pass. The net result is that there haven't been a lot of running plays. Here are the game by game totals for all running backs combined:
Idaho 27 carries for 166 yards, 6.1/carry (2 by Maleek)
Marshall 36 carries, 163 yards, 4.5/carry
SLU 17 carries, 114 yards, 6.7/carry (5 by Dorian)
Minnesota 29 carries, 135 yards, 4.7/carry
Akron 20 carries, 60 yards, 3.0/carry

Here are the number of carries/game for the leaders:
AJ: 57 carries for 232 yards, 11.4 carries a game, 4.1 yards/carry
Daz: 49 carries for 250 yards, 9.8 carries a game, 5.1 yards/carry
Papi: 21 carries for 131 yards, 4.2 carries a game, 6.2 yards/carry

These numbers are all way lower than normal for Ohio. Ohio has had games where a single running back got 30 more more carries. This year no running back has gotten over 13, except for the 21 that AJ got against Marshall. Partly it's because of how the schedule has played out. Here is what the rushing defenses look like that Ohio has played the last couple games, and will play in the weeks ahead:

Minnesota 157 yards/game (Ohio got 151)
Akron 92 yards/game (Ohio got 48)
Miami 189 yards/game
WMU 224 yards/game
Buffalo 211 yards/game
BG 188 yards/game
Kent 83 yards/game
Ball State 259 yards/game
NIU 204 yards/game

Ohio has only one really good rushing defense left, that being Kent. I would expect the reps by running backs to rise, and to see a lot more of Maleek and Dorian this week, and in the weeks ahead.

Yes. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. The last three games there have been an average of under 22 carries a game for all running backs. The first two games the average was about 32.

Solich's claim in his press conference is that there haven't been as many reps as normal the last few games, and that when that happens, it is harder to get carries to Maleek and Dorian. The facts support Solich's claim of less reps lately.

Of the teams remaining, only Kent State will have a comparable run defense to the last three, so I expect to see at least 30 runs/game from all running backs combined. With more reps to spread around, I expect to see more of Maleek and Dorian, and this thread will become moot.

And let's not forget who the line was for his run. Remember it is the line that makes most runs successful. Joe Lowery and company opened up a hole the size of a driveway. Without them, Irons doesn't gain a yard and possibly fumbles. We have scored EVERYTIME they have been in. But they have barely played since then. Do you realize how many points we would be scoring and how many we would be winning by if they started and played.

I know we are 4-1, but most of those games have been the typical close wins. I know they are second and third string. But I think they should start and play on Saturday. We need to see what they can really do. If they don't produce fine. But at least we the fans will know.

It may sound absurd, but that would assume that these guys are not starter material when the whole issue is about who should be first string. I know they have been practicing all year, and in some cases last year as well. And I know we are not hearing any rumbling from their teammates about them not playing, but I'm in favor of us fans finding out for ourselves by watching them in game action against the other team's first string.

The coaches have made their depth chart, but from what we saw on that one series against the opponent's 3rd sting, THESE GUYS DOMINATE. (but we all know the coaches pay little attention to who REALLY should be playing).

If they end up not being as good as they appear to be on that limited sample, then don't play them. But we need to find out. And it is time we do.

some of you guys are absolutely amazing. It's not like our running backs are under performing. The honest answer here is there just are not enough snaps in a game, and you are totally undervaluing the concept of getting into a groove and developing a level of comfort with each other. I know this will not be overly popular but this is exactly the issue that OSU is having, they are trying to keep all these guys in a game and get all these guys some PT, and they are a dysfunctional mess on offense. Yeah, we didn't score a great deal of points on Saturday, but that's called sports, the other team had something to do with that, and you just can't go running around replacing players at the first sign of things getting tough.

I think you are right....

You Bobcats should just fire your coaches and do the coaching from your homes in LA, DC and New York.

It will be perfect...just call it in.

You all obviously know something the coaches don't and know that the 5th string running back should obviously be the starting running back. Those coaches have been sleeping at their jobs and should all be fired.

You remind me of some of my tOSU buddies that are looking to replace E. Elliot because he doesn't have the same yardage he had at this time last season.....my only response to them is WTF is wrong with you.

I could have gotten a touchdown on the play Irons did with the hole he had....if he had not gotten a touchdown on that play he should have had his scholarship withdrawn. It was against a team OU was beating's second string defense.

If he is a good back and he has good backs in front of him, most good coaches would save him until one of the better backs goes down. Rather than put him in simply to show some loud mouth fans what the coaches already know and have based their decisions on and risk injury to each and every one of their running backs in the same game.

Consider this....

Irons didn't graduate from high school when scheduled due to a teachers strike that shut down the school for a while.
Because of the delay, Irons didn't get to campus until August.
Had he arrived on time, he would have had more time to pick up the offense, like AJ had.
If he'd had more time to learn the offense, he might have been (as the highly prized recruit) RB#4 coming off the bench when fumblitis hit during the Kent game, rather than the walk-on.
He might have been the guy driving the ball down the field for Yaz's game winning field goal.
And he might now be the starter as a sophomore, instead of at the back of the pack as a red-shirt freshman.

Not my point. There is obviously benefit to sitting out a year.

My point is that it very well could be Irons instead of Ouellette this year, but for a seemingly random flukey set of events (teachers strike, fumbles, walk-on) that gave Ouellette a chance to play while Irons red-shirted.

I wish we had closer to 5 talented QBs!

The running game will take care of itself. I know it is frustrating to some but I always say the coach makes the decision on who plays. The best thing a fan can do is evaluate who is playing and how they are doing. Ain't nobody gonna change the coaches minds no matter how much or how little talent the guy has or how much or how little people scream and moan.

How many other ohio states are there?