When Ohio State coach Ryan Day first floated the idea of Caleb Downs lining up as a running back as well as in the secondary earlier this summer, the suggestion did not surprise the star sophomore safety.
Downs, who transferred to the school from Alabama in January, took it as a serious possibility.
“I feel like I’m an elite player with the ball in my hands,” Downs said. “I would never not believe in myself to do something. So I definitely believe that’s on the table.”
Reflecting on the prospect of contributing on both sides of the ball Tuesday night following a preseason practice, Downs did not shy away from a potential role as a two-way player for the Buckeyes.
It was something he did in high school two years ago, playing for Mill Creek in Georgia’s highest classification. The Hawks used him in situations as a wildcat quarterback, and he ran for 334 yards and threw for 370 yards as a senior in 2022.
Downs did not log any snaps on offense as a freshman at Alabama, but he touched the ball in another phase, returning four punts, including taking one for 85 yards for a touchdown against Chattanooga.
“I know it would be accelerated because it’s college and everybody’s better,” Downs said, “but I have an idea about it because in high school, I played a lot of plays. I know what it would take.”
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Downs has taken notice of Colorado’s Travis Hunter, a fellow All-American who has played both wide receiver and cornerback for the Buffaloes, logging as many as 152 snaps in a game last season.
But Downs laid out a more modest vision for himself if he goes out as a running back with the Buckeyes
“I wouldn’t say every play or anything,” Downs said. “If I played on offense, it would be max, 10 snaps a game.”
Downs’ presence in the offensive backfield could ultimately result from a handful of factors ranging from his playmaking threat to a need that materializes at the position.
The Buckeyes went down to four scholarship backs after Dallan Hayden transferred to Colorado at the end of spring practice. All the remaining backs, which include the decorated tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, appeared healthy this month, but the season can take a toll.
The possibility hasn’t appeared imminent as the Buckeyes open their season against Akron next week.
At Big Ten media days in July, Day said Downs would focus on safety in preseason training camp, and Downs said he last took a rep as a running back at the end of summer, indicating it was before the start of their preseason practices on Aug. 1.
If he’s touched the ball, it’s either been while picking off a quarterback or as a punt returner.
“I’ve caught a lot of punts,” Downs said. “If they give me the opportunity to do that, I’ll be happy to. If they give it to someone else, I wish them the best, and I’ll be behind them.”
Asked to summarize his mindset when he gets ahold of the ball, Downs was succinct.
“Score,” he said.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
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