COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State knew it had plenty of talent in its running back room entering fall camp.
It may have more competition than expected.
Through the first two practices of camp, sophomore Isaiah West has been one of the names generating attention. West has worked primarily with the first-team offense alongside quarterback Julian Sayin, while returning starter Bo Jackson has also continued to receive significant work with the 2s. For a position group Ryan Day has challenged to become a strength, the early competition is already providing some intrigue.
West isn’t exactly coming out of nowhere, either.
The sophomore flashed during his freshman season and has drawn plenty of praise for the work he put in during the offseason. Now, he’s getting an opportunity to show that he can be more than a complementary piece in Ohio State’s backfield.
Linebacker Payton Pierce, who has spent plenty of time trying to defend West during practice, said the running back’s offseason has been impressive.
“He’s super twitchy,” Pierce said.
That explosiveness has shown up during the first two practices, even without the Buckeyes putting on pads. West has found ways to get through the first level and create big gains during team periods.
But while West is making his case, Jackson isn’t backing away from the competition.
Jackson rushed for 1,090 yards as a freshman last season and enters 2026 as one of the most experienced players in the room. He knows what he is capable of, but he also understands that Ohio State expects competition at the position.
“That’s just a challenge given to us,” Jackson said. “We’ve got to live up to the expectations.”
And Jackson isn’t treating West’s emergence as a bad thing. Instead, he praised the work his teammate put in over the offseason, saying it didn’t surprise him because of how consistently West works.
That competition could ultimately be beneficial for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes have had success using multiple running backs in recent seasons, particularly as the College Football Playoff has expanded and the season has become longer. Having two backs capable of handling significant workloads would give Ohio State another way to keep its offense fresh.
And West and Jackson may not be the only two backs Ohio State is trying to find a role for. Freshman Legend Bey is also part of the equation.
Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn said during the spring that he wanted to find a way to get Bey on the field, adding another talented option to a room that already has plenty of competition. Bey did not practice during the first few days of fall camp after a violation of team rules, according to Day, but the freshman is expected to return soon.
That means Ohio State could eventually be trying to find roles for three talented backs rather than simply deciding between Jackson and West. The question is how the carries will ultimately be divided.
Jackson wasn’t ready to predict whether Ohio State will settle on a clear No. 1 back or use more of a committee approach.
“I don’t really know,” Jackson said.
For now, that’s probably the answer Ohio State wants. The Buckeyes still have weeks of camp ahead of them, and the pads haven’t even come on yet. There is plenty of time for the running back room to sort itself out.
But West has already made one thing clear through the first two practices: he’s going to make Ohio State work for the decision.
Jackson has already proven he can be the lead back. Now West is showing he wants a bigger piece of the workload. And that could make one of Ohio State’s deepest position groups even more interesting as camp continues.
