The Ohio State Buckeyes are entering the 2015 college football season as defending champions and running back Ezekiel Elliott is expected to have a monstrous season. While he is the face of the Buckeyes’ football program right now, there is a good chance that he will be gone following this season.
That will leave a major hole at the running back position and there is one intriguing name in particular to keep an eye on as a potential replacement for him.
Todd Sibley committed to the Buckeyes on April 19th and is part of Urban Meyer’s 2017 recruiting class. He is listed as a four-star running back by 247Sports.com, and is without question ready to step in and contribute immediately.
During his 2014 season at Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio, Sibley picked up 1,567 yards and 17 touchdowns on the year. He was an unstoppable force for opposing defenses, and caught Meyer’s eye.
Sibley is brimming with confidence and is not afraid of the big stage that will come with following after Elliott’s illustrious career with the Buckeyes.
As another football season continues to draw closer, Sibley is excited to join his Ohio State team but knows there is plenty of work left to do before then. He talked about why he chose to join the Buckeyes and how excited he is for the future with them.
“The home environment that I felt at the spring game was awesome. The amazing coaching staff, and the connections I have with some of the players played a key role in the reason why I committed,” he told Campus Sports.
It is very obvious that Sibley has an admiration for Elliott’s game, and wants to emulate him on the field. That would be more than fine with the Buckeyes and their fans, and he explained a bit about his game and shared his comparison.
“I’m a pretty balanced running back. I use my pads well to go through tackles and I use my speed to excel through the secondary. I can also make some catches out of the backfield and be a great downhill runner. I pride myself on working hard to be as good if not better than the man Ezekiel Elliott himself one day,” Sibley added
Playing for Meyer as a major draw for the 5-foot-11, 205-pound running back. Every single player wants to play for a head coach that can prepare them for the next level, and that is exactly what Meyer is capable of doing for each and every one of his players.
“I’m very excited to play for Urban,” the running back noted. “It’s one of those things you grow up dreaming about. I expect to learn a lot from him, but mainly how to be a better competitor and a better person both on and off the field.”
Looking ahead at the future for Sibley with the Buckeyes, the sky is the limit for him.
There is nothing holding him back from reaching his goals of being the Ohio State starter long-term, and he certainly has the skill-set to become something special if he continues working on his game.
Setting the bar high by mentioning Elliott as a comparison should excite the Ohio State fan base, and it isn’t an empty goal either.
Sibley is a name to keep an eye on over the next couple years as he continues to develop, and will likely end up being a household name for Buckeye fans in the near future.
