Dallan Hayden was thrust into the spotlight quite a bit earlier than anyone expected. The Ohio State running back room had some unfortunate circumstances that moved the true freshman running back up the depth chart quickly. Evan Pryor tore an ACL, causing him to miss the entire season and both TryVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams battled injuries all season long.
Hayden racked up over 550 yards and five touchdowns on the season and had a breakout game against Maryland with 146 yards and three scores. Most felt good about Hayden’s chances to carry that momentum into the Michigan game as the OSU backfield ailed. However, Hayden would only get 2 carries in the loss to the Wolverines.
Buy Buckeyes TicketsIt was then that rumors started to swirl that the talented back from Memphis, Tennessee, was getting courted by the home-state Volunteers. However, it seems that the rumors were just that and nothing more. Hayden was asked if transferring ever crossed his mind. Here’s what he told Patrick Murphy of Bucknuts.
“That was honestly a rumor. I’m not sure how that got out because it definitely didn’t come from anybody close to me or from me. So that was just crazy. That was definitely just a rumor.” – Dallan Hayden
Is Ohio State RB Dallan Hayden a star in the making, or already a star? pic.twitter.com/k4EUq2KCfW
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) November 21, 2022
The running back room should be loaded this year barring any more unforeseen setbacks. With a healthy Henderson and Williams, it’s hard to tell where Hayden will fall in the pecking order.
Either way, it sounds like the second-year back is willing to wait his turn and continue to compete in scarlet and gray.
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