Isaiah West’s path at Ohio State has taken a sharp turn.
He entered the offseason as one of the team’s most talked-about backs after adding size, strength and speed, and he even worked with the first unit during fall camp. But when the Buckeyes opened the year against Ball State, West was in a reserve spot behind Bo Jackson and Ja'Kobi Jackson.
That setup has changed quickly. Ja'Kobi Jackson is out after surgery for a Lisfranc injury in his foot, with the hope that he can return for Ohio State’s rivalry game against Michigan.
With that opening, West is moving into a bigger role and beginning to show signs of settling in. Against Indiana, he posted his most efficient game of the season, finishing with six carries for 45 yards.
"I thought he ran physical, he ran downhill and we're gonna need him. I think you saw last year some of the flashes that we saw.
Quite honestly, Ja'Kobi came in and really did a nice job in the first week or first month or so," Ryan Day said after practice Wednesday. "Isaiah now understands that this is an opportunity for him to step back into that role and take it and run with it.
I thought he did have a really good offseason, a strong offseason. And so that's behind us now."
West has 28 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown this season. Now the Buckeyes need him to help replace what Ja'Kobi had been giving them before the injury - 59 touches, 354 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Day said he sees the next step clearly.
"The question is, what are we gonna do with this opportunity? I thought last week, he took a huge step forward.
We're starting to see him run downhill - and let's go. I had a nice long talk with him a week and a half or so ago, maybe two weeks ago, and just talked about when we hand you the ball, we expect you to be the best running back in the country," Day said.
"That's what we see, and we believe in that. And we want him to believe that he can be the best running back in the country.
The physicality, running downhill, breaking tackles, all those things."
With Ja'Kobi out, Bo Jackson has also been carrying a bigger load. Against Indiana, he handled 18 attempts, while West got six. For the season, Bo has piled up 107 carries for 516 yards and four touchdowns in 2026.
Ohio State’s staff knows the workload will keep coming, especially with a young quarterback likely to take over in Luke Fahey and rainy conditions expected Saturday in California. The Buckeyes are ranked 65th in the FBS with 153.1 rushing yards per game, and Day wants more from the entire backfield.
"Our running backs, they've been challenged a lot this year already, but this is the ultimate challenge right now," Day said. "Having a young quarterback, everyone's got to step up. The running backs have to step up."
Day had already pushed the group earlier this year to run angry, and that message is only louder now with Ja'Kobi sidelined and the offense leaning on a quarterback still finding his way.
"We need both (Bo), Isaiah and Legend (Bey) to get downhill and run physical," Day said Tuesday. "I'm sure their numbers will continue to increase as these games move forward. We're going to need them."
In Other News...
Luke Fahey Is Forcing Ohio State Fans To Rethink The Hype
Luke Fahey arrived in Columbus with the kind of recruiting profile that usually invites patience, not immediate expectations. The Mission Viejo, Calif., quarterback was ranked lower than some of the bigger-name passers in his class and did not fit the prototype in terms of measurables, but he still drew offers from top programs before committing to Ohio State in 2025. His performance against a highly ranked opponent only sharpened the conversation around him, especially as he has moved into position to be the Buckeyes likely starting quarterback.
For Ohio State fans, the intrigue is less about the ranking labels than the way Fahey has continued to push past them. Ryan Day has praised his work ethic and competitiveness, two traits that tend to matter a lot more once the pads are on and the depth chart gets real. Even with the hype around more decorated prospects, Fahey has forced a rethink of what his ceiling might be, and the Buckeyes are left watching to see how far that edge can carry him. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Heads To USC With One Huge Offensive Problem
Ohio State heads into Week 9 at USC with its offense carrying more uncertainty than it has all season, and it starts with Julian Sayins injury leaving the quarterback situation unsettled. The Buckeyes are weighing different ways to attack the Trojans depending on who takes the first snap, while there is at least one stabilizing piece on the front line with Austin Siereveld back in the mix to give the offensive line a more settled look.
The ripple effects could be felt everywhere else in the huddle, especially in the backfield, where Ja'Kobi Jacksons absence opens the door for a different rotation. Bo Jackson, Legend Bey and Isaiah West are all expected to share carries, which means Ohio State may need to lean on depth and flexibility as it tries to piece together an offense that can keep pace in a road game against a ranked opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesota Gets A Huge Big Ten Test With Plenty On The Line
Halloween weekend brings a loaded Big Ten slate, and Ohio States meeting with USC stands out as one of the games with the most immediate coaching implications. Lincoln Riley enters under a bright spotlight after recent losses have turned up the heat around his tenure, while Ryan Days Buckeyes are dealing with a different kind of uncertainty after the absence of star quarterback Julian Sayin left the offense in a less settled place than usual.
For Ohio State, the matchup is about more than another conference win. It is a chance to steady the narrative around a team still trying to sort out its quarterback situation while facing a USC program that badly needs a response. In a week packed with Big Ten intrigue, this one has enough pressure on both sidelines to feel bigger than a midseason test. [Read more 🡒]