Ohio State Transfer Makes Bold Declaration on Buckeyes Coach

Perhaps one of the biggest question marks for the Ohio State Buckeyes entering 2025 will be how they handle the running back position.

Ohio State boasted one of the best backfields in the country this past season, with the dynamic duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson rattling off 1,000 yards apiece and helping lead the Buckeyes to a national championship.

Unfortunately, both Judkins and Henderson have departed for the NFL Draft, leaving Ohio State in quite the lurch when it comes to its rushing attack.

The good news is that the Buckeyes appear to have another potentially lethal tandem on the horizon in the form of sophomore James Peoples and transfer C.J. Donaldson, the latter of whom has already lost 18 pounds in preparation for his Ohio State debut.

So, what made Donaldson—who spent the first three years of his collegiate career at West Virginia—decide to take his talents to Columbus? Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn was evidently a huge factor.

“There's a lot of calls, a lot of red carpet talk, but what separated the Buckeyes from every other program was I like to say Coach Lock,” Donaldson told reporters. “And Coach [Ryan] Day and Coach [Mickey Marotti] had a big impact on me, but Coach Lock, he told me that he would challenge me and help me develop into the player that I know I can be.”

Locklyn has made it clear in spring practice that he intends to squeeze every ounce of potential out of his halfbacks, and he certainly isn't going easy on them. But Donaldson seems to embrace that type of tough coaching, as it seems to pay dividends.

“We are more balanced, more like the NFL,” Donaldson added. “We utilize our players effectively and use them to the best of our abilities.”

The 20-year-old registered 734 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per carry in 2024. We'll see if he can increase his production and become a bit more efficient in 2025.