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Ohio State has had some great running backs tote the rock in the scarlet and gray over the years. Next in line to make some noise at the position could be true freshman Legend Bey.
Even though Bo Jackson and Isaiah West are at the top of the running back depth chart, it’s obvious the coaching staff loves what Bey brings to the field, and are going to try to find ways to get the football into his hands this fall.
There was an intense battle between Ohio State and Tennessee to earn the commitment of Bey out of high school. Bey originally committed to Tennessee before flipping to Ohio State in November 2025. A month later, Bey decided to flip back to Tennessee and signed with the Volunteers.
Then it was revealed Bey only signed with Tennessee because he felt pressure from his family to sign with the Volunteers. Once Bey turned 18 he reached an agreement with Tennessee to be released from scholarship agreement.
The Texas product was a top-10 athlete in recruiting rankings after putting up massive stats in high school. Bey played quarterback in high school and was a factor both on the ground and through the air.
By the time his high school career came to a close, Bey had rushed for 4,000 yards, threw for 3,500 yards, and amassed 94 touchdowns. In his senior season, Bey had 45 touchdowns in just 11 games.
Head coach Ryan Day added to Bey’s hype in January when he called the recruit “the poor man’s Tyreek Hill”. With Jackson and West sitting out spring practices because of injuries, Bey had a chance to given the coaching staff something to think about over the summer, but Bey suffered a hamstring injury and was forced to sit out of Ohio State’s Spring Game.
The start of preseason camp for Bey got off to a sour note when Day announced Bey would miss the first couple days of practices because of a violation of team rules. While what rules Bey was guilty of violating haven’t became known, it obviously wasn’t something all that serious because he has since returned to practices. If anything this sounds like it was a minor infraction and more of a teaching moment for what is expected of Bey going forward.
With Jackson and West returning at running back after strong freshman seasons, Ohio State doesn’t need Bey to come in and carry the football 20 times per game. Along with his Hill comparison, Day also likened Bey to former Buckeyes Xavier Johnson and Curtis Samuel.
Along with possibly getting a number of carries during games, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will likely find other creative ways to get the football into Bey’s hands to utilize his speed and escapability.
If Bey’s high school stats and tape wasn’t enough to convince people of how fast he is, he also ran a 10.23 100-meter dash. That number alone is why Day and Smith are so eager to see Bey on the field, even if they already two solid sophomore running backs sitting ahead of the freshman on the depth chart. Another option for Bey to get his hands on the football if he can’t do so on offense is to install him as a kickoff and punt returner.
This may sound like a silly way to judge how the coaching staff thinks of a player but it’s not very often that a true freshman is given a number like 2. The single-digit numbers are often hardest to come by and usually freshmen have to take another number and then wait for their preferred number to become available in later years. Also, if the Bey suspension had be for something more serious it’s likely he wouldn’t have kept such a sought-after number.
Realistic expectations for Bey this year are to have a few moments that have fans buzzing about his future and then next season Buckeye Nation will get a heavier dose of the athletic running back. Bey has too much speed and athleticism to keep him from playing regularly in 2027 and beyond.
This year is all about the freshman getting his feet wet at the college level and adapting to what is expected of him while he is in the scarlet and gray.
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