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Ohio State football plans redshirt season for running back Dallan Hayden
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- Ohio State football plans redshirt season for running back Dallan Hayden
Dallan Hayden burst onto the scene for Ohio State when it visited Maryland last season.
But he did not see the field on Saturday when the Buckeyes hosted the Terrapins in a 37-17 win , remaining buried on the depth chart at running back.
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That's a result of plans for him to redshirt this fall, as coach Ryan Day revealed Tuesday.
"He's ready to go," Day said. "He's practicing, and if appropriate, we'll put him in the game, but we don't want to have him play in five or six games without getting a bunch of work in. We just don't think that's the right thing to do for Dallan."
Ohio State running back Dallan Hayden is tackled against Indiana on Sept. 2.
NCAA rules that took effect in 2018 allow players to play in up to four games and still qualify for a redshirt.
Hayden, who is a sophomore, only appeared late in the Buckeyes' season-opening win at Indiana last month, catching a checkdown pass from backup quarterback Devin Brown on their last drive. In order to redshirt this season, he can play in more than three of the remaining games.
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Day said they spoke with Hayden in August about trying to preserve his year of eligibility as he remained behind at least three other backs on the depth chart, a group of upperclassmen that includes TreVeyon Henderson , Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams .
"Dallan's great about it," Day said.
Hayden carried a heavy load at Maryland a year ago, rushing for 146 yards and three touchdowns in the victory, as injuries decimated the Buckeyes' running back.
It was his second straight 100-yard rushing performance and revealed his promise at the position.
Injuries could again push Hayden into a bigger role later this season. Henderson was unavailable last week, though is expected to return at Purdue this week.
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But Day said they would be mindful about Hayden's eligibility as he figures prominently into their future plans, especially with Henderson, Trayanum and Williams all eligible to enter the NFL draft next year. Hayden is the only scholarship back who is not draft-eligible.
"We do think he's great," Day said. "I think he's a really good player."
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on Facebook and X , the platform formerly known as Twitter. He can also be contacted at jkaufman@dispatch.com .
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Dallan Hayden, Ohio State running back, plans to redshirt in 2023
