Kevin Wilson Has Been Here Before

May 14, 2018
By Tony Gerdeman

Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson has been around and has run a variety of offenses in his time. He’s had run-first quarterbacks, pass-only quarterbacks, and dual threats that allowed him to be whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it.

So while moving from a dual-threat quarterback like J.T. Barrett to a pass-first guy like Dwayne Haskins might be jarring for the Ohio State identity, it is nothing new for Wilson.

When he was at Indiana, his quarterbacks had a disastrous 2014 thanks to injuries and inexperience. Starter Nate Sudfeld missed the final six games with an injury, which then threw the situation into a tailspin. Things got so bad that the Hoosiers were eventually playing a linebacker at the position.

In 2015, however, Sudfeld was good to go and played in 12 of Indiana’s 13 games. He ran the ball 46 times, most of which were actually sacks. He was a pass-first guy, but the offense didn’t suffer because of it.

In fact, Indiana led the Big Ten in total offense that year, averaging 504.3 yards per game. They were first in passing with 293.8 yards per game. Perhaps most impressively, however, was that they were also able to finish second in the conference in rushing, averaging 210.5 yards per game.

The Hoosiers had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers that season. Jordan Howard carried the ball 196 times for 1,213 yards and Devine Redding carried it 226 times for 1,012 yards. Only Northwestern (600 att.) ran the ball more than Indiana (592 att.) in 2015.

The quarterback may have been pass-first, but the offense was as balanced as any in the country. And Kevin Wilson hasn’t forgotten it.

“We basically ran the same offense at my previous school,” he said. “So all of the sudden when I had a quarterback that wasn’t a great runner, there was two kids with 1,000 yards because those carries went to the second tailback. And then all of the sudden we were, instead of the quarterback pulling it and keeping it, he was throwing it and that’s why he had three receivers with over 50 catches.”

Looking at Ohio State’s offense, they currently have two tailbacks that have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season. Now, with the quarterback carries dropping considerably, there is a legitimate shot at both Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins rushing for 1,000 yards in 2018.

The offense will still be recognizable, because the staples won’t change. Just like Indiana in 2015, the running game will be the key, but the distribution of the ball from the quarterback is what will be different.

“But it was still inside zone, power,” Wilson said. “It was the same plays, but where the balls got distributed. So again, as we go, the offense isn’t changing. We’re going to develop what we got and then those quarterbacks, in time, we put it together to, is it read, is it run, is it, you do a little bit of both.”

Factoid that may only interest me

By Peter King
May 14, 2018

2008: Anthony Gonzalez, a second-year wideout for the Colts, catches two touchdown passes from Peyton Manning to lift Indianapolis to an 18-15 upset of the Patriots on Sunday night football.

2018: Anthony Gonzalez, a rookie Republican politician, wins the Congressional primary in a northeast Ohio district, and will run for an open Congressional seat in the 16th District of Ohio in the November general election.

New England Patriots RBs coach: Rex Burkhead is 'something special'

New England Patriots running back Rex Burkhead (34) breaks free from Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Patrick Robinson (21) in Super Bowl LII, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018 in Minneapolis. The Eagles defeated the Patriots 41-33 to win their first Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Doug Benc)(Doug Benc)

By Kevin Duffy
May 14, 2018

FOXBOROUGH -- Rex Burkhead's first season with the Patriots was interrupted twice by injury, but the team must have liked what it saw.

Burkhead was brought back on a three-year deal this offseason. And, based off comments from Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears, Burkhead looks like a strong candidate to grab the starting running back job this summer.

"This time last year, he started showing us what he could do," Fears said on Friday. "Once you get a chance to see it, you sort of build on it. Rex is something special. I like him."

Burkhead carved out a unique role in the 2017 Patriots offense; he emerged as the team's top goal line back, but he also was a mismatch in the passing game, taking advantage of linebackers in coverage.

He took a screen pass 46 yards in Super Bowl LII, and he easily beat Broncos safety Darian Stewart for a 14-yard touchdown on a slant route during a Week 10 matchup in Denver. Despite missing seven games (playoffs included) due to an injury to his ribs and a sprained knee, Burkhead showed enough to warrant another contract in New England.

"He's a great kid," Fears said. "He has that passion for the game that I sort of have too. I sort of love that. It makes it easy. I don't have to worry about him getting work done off the field...He's a real professional player and loves what he's doing."

With Dion Lewis in Tennessee, the starting job is up for grabs. Burkhead's ability as a runner and receiver will give him a solid shot to get on the field early. First-round pick Sony Michel also will challenge for the No. 1 role.

James White's role in the passing game is entrenched. And then there's the battle between Mike Gillislee and Jeremy Hill. The Pats figure to keep one of the two as a between-the-tackles threat.

Fears, who has coached running backs in New England for nearly two decades, is intrigued by Hill.

Formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, Hill is looking to revitalize his career. He rushed for 1,124 yards while averaging 5.1 yards per carry as a rookie in 2014, but has seen his numbers steadily decline in the three years since.

"I was really high on him coming out of college, from LSU," Fears said. "I thought the world of him. I thought it was a good grab by Cincinnati. Hey, I'm sort of looking forward to this challenge and seeing what he can do for us."