Walk on RB from Cincinnati Elder announced on Twitter he earned a scholarship for this semester. 6-1, 220, played two seasons at Urbana.

Very interesting. With Ohio losing Ouellette, Irons, and Burroughs, RB is a position of interest. It's good to know that there is more talent at RB than we knew. That means a six way competition at RB for next year:

Ja'Vahri Portis https://www.hudl.com/profile/7468336/JaVahri-Portis
Julian Ross https://www.hudl.com/profile/3789360/Julian-Ross
Jake Neatherton https://www.hudl.com/profile/2716148/Jacob-Neatherton
O'Shaan Allison https://www.hudl.com/profile/3945347/OShaan-Allison
Walter Wilbon III https://www.hudl.com/profile/6338355/Walter-Wilbon-III
De'Montre Tuggle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhD0PJg_a5E

As I watch these films, I'm struck how similar most of these running backs are, and to be honest, they all look good. One is different than the others, Ross. He seems to be considerably faster, and if he gets an opening, he's gone, so he's like having Papi White at RB, but with more size. The others are all tough runners, with good balance, who run low, with forward lean, good balance, and who get yards after contact.

I have no idea who will earn the position at the top of the depth chart. My guess is that we will see at least 3 running backs sharing the carries next year. I think one will be Ross, though it's possible they could do with him as they did with Papi White, and move him to WR. I think that another will be Allison. The third might be Portis, or might be Tuggle. My second guess is that any RB that fumbles very much will find themselves down the depth chart in a hurry.

On the walkon to scholarship question, there are multiple players who will be getting significant PT next year who started out as walkons or preferred walkons. I wonder which, if any, of these now have scholarships:
Marlin Brooks - Jr, probable starter at CB
DL Knock - Sr, 1st or 2d string WR
Nick Sink - R-Jr, May start at LG
Jarren Hampton - R-Jr, probable starter at SS
Brian Long, Jr. - R-Jr, played a lot last year

I’m thinking:

Ross

Allison

Wilbon

and anybody who can hold on to the ball and get a few yards in the meanwhile.

The Portis news is encouraging...from a great high school program....Cincy Elder.

It will certainly be interesting next year. We return an all-world QB with an offensive line missing two Joes but returning guys who have had regular rotation. We have electric receivers with Cox, Odom and Buckner along with Knock as a possession guy. We have Luehrman's at TE with experience. BUT....we have had the Dorian, Maleek, AJ show for 5 solid years. If any of these guys can give us some production it will help. If they struggle, we struggle.

With the walk-on program at the level it is the whole idea we can't load up in the OOC because of injuries doesn't seem legitimate. Freshman scholarship players can be plugged in for 4 games without losing their redshirt another depth advantage.