Episode Overview

Podcast: The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk
Episode Title: Ohio State's Bo Jackson and can he avoid the Buckeye Curse for Year 2 running backs?
Air Date: February 24, 2026
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis

This episode dives deep into the “Year 2 Curse” for Ohio State Buckeye running backs, discussing whether Bo Jackson can avoid the sophomore slump that has affected several high-profile RBs in program history. Doug and Bill analyze Ohio State’s recent history at running back, assess the unique situation facing Bo Jackson, and provide a big-picture, data-backed perspective on what’s realistic for his upcoming sophomore season.

Key Discussion Points

The Sophomore Running Back “Curse” at Ohio State

Timestamp: 00:48 – 04:39

• Bill sets the table, noting his recent article on the history of 1,000-yard freshman running backs both nationally and specifically at Ohio State.
• Five Ohio State true freshmen have rushed for 1,000 yards: Bo Jackson (2025), TreVeyon Henderson (2021), J.K. Dobbins (2017), Maurice Clarett (2002), Robert Smith (1990).
• Notable: Maurice Clarett and Robert Smith did not play their sophomore year at OSU due to off-field issues (Clarett’s suspension and Smith’s academic dispute).
• Doug contextualizes issues around freshman eligibility pre-1974 and sets the baseline for comparisons.

Quote [02:29, Doug]:
"Robert Smith and Maurice Claret did not play their second years at Ohio State... that's not applicable to Bo Jackson... but it's reflective of the era and circumstances."

Lessons from J.K. Dobbins and TreVeyon Henderson

Timestamp: 04:24 – 07:53

• Dobbins and Henderson had stellar freshmen seasons but experienced sophomore slumps—Dobbins due to a timeshare with Mike Weber, Henderson from a (then-undisclosed) foot injury muddling his play and confidence.
• The hosts highlight the mental and emotional challenges for young RBs after early success and emphasize the need to address both physical and psychological aspects going into Year 2.

Quote [05:54, Doug]:
"I do think there is a mental-emotional component for a second-year running back who is very successful as a freshman that Ohio State needs to make sure they have handled with Bo Jackson."

Temptations, Timeshares & Managing the Workload

Timestamp: 07:53 – 13:32

• Discussion on how teams often try to protect sophomore RBs from burnout or injury by introducing more of a timeshare, sometimes destabilizing the clear RB1 role from year one.
• In Dobbins’ sophomore year, he had more carries but less production than as a freshman; mental pressure, adjusting to sharing the load, and the nature of the RB room are all factors.
• Doug and Bill debate whether it's best for Bo Jackson to remain lead back or to find a true co-starter to prevent overuse.

Quote [10:28, Doug]:
"It’s almost like because you were the number one guy, they want you to be a timeshare guy in year two. That plays with the head of the still pretty young running back."

Bo Jackson’s Fit, Skill Set & 2025 Usage

Timestamp: 13:32 – 16:23

• Bo was gradually brought into the starting role last year; OSU limited his carries early to keep him fresh.
• There is no clear veteran 1,000-yard backup behind Bo, which might sway the staff to give him a fuller workload unless Isaiah West or another back seizes the opportunity.
• Bill notes the RB2 job is open for competition, and a rotating cast could step up, especially with Bo and West both recovering from shoulder procedures this spring.

Quote [14:06, Bill]:
"I think they would prefer [a true complement]. Yeah, for this year, whether that’s Isaiah West, Jacoby Jackson, the guy they brought in from Florida...or one of these freshmen coming in. It’s a weird room."

Spring Football Outlook & “Next Man Up”

Timestamp: 23:01 – 25:28

• Bo Jackson and Isaiah West are likely to be limited this spring; other backs (Legend Bay, Favor Aki, Turbo Rogers, or grad transfer Jacoby Jackson) could get reps and surprise.
• Spring reps may not decide the fall pecking order but could be telling for the RB2 competition.

Quote [24:04, Bill]:
"I think you’re gonna see a lot of Favor Aki and a lot of Legend Bay in the spring...spring is weird for running backs because there’s not a lot of full contact—a chance for a spark, but hard to get carried away."

National Data on Freshman-to-Sophomore Running Backs

Timestamp: 25:28 – 27:34

• Bill’s data dive: Among 21 national freshman 1,000-yard backs (past 10 years), the biggest sophomore drop-offs are usually attributed to injuries.
• Only five nationally saw major sophomore leaps; most had minor dips or held steady; true collapse is rare if health holds.

Quote [25:49, Bill]:
"The guys who really fell off...eight of them, it was because of injury. There weren’t a lot of guys who had a thousand-yard freshman year and a 900-yard sophomore year without a clear reason."

Running Back Usage, Injury Risk, and Program Trends

Timestamp: 27:34 – 30:06

• The wear-and-tear on young RBs is a factor; proper management and recovery is crucial.
• OSU’s handling of Bo Jackson’s workload as a freshman is seen as pragmatic and purposeful, potentially lowering sophomore risk.
• Bo’s route to a starting job was less direct than Dobbins or Henderson—he’s less of a five-star phenom, more of an “emergent” player.

Quote [28:21, Doug]:
"I do think Ohio State did a really good job with Bo Jackson last year...they figured out it was Bo but didn’t lean on him too hard, had him ready down the stretch."

Bo Jackson’s Future Path: Superstar, Timeshare, or Steady Starter?

Timestamp: 30:06 – 32:38

• Both hosts differentiate Bo’s situation from Dobbins/Henderson: Bo’s freshman year was good but not “too good” (i.e., not impossible to follow up).
• His modest statline leaves room for realistic progress, rather than an unsustainable standard.

Quote [32:28, Doug]:
"It’s almost, this is a ridiculous thing to say—it’s not true at all—but [Bo] was good but he wasn’t too good...a little bit different, something to build off."

Unique Pressure of 2026: NIL, Transfer Rumors & Human Factor

Timestamp: 34:28 – 35:27

• Unlike his predecessors, Bo faced genuine questions about whether he’d leave via transfer (with rumored NIL negotiations). The external expectations are higher and the public scrutiny, greater.
• Will contract-like pressures impact his on-field play? The human toll of increased attention and compensation is acknowledged.

Quote [35:22, Doug]:
"Will he do it to himself? Will that be it? That’s a very human reaction...the pressure that it put on us."

Hosts’ Confidence Meter: Likelihood of a Sophomore Slump

Timestamp: 36:14 – 40:00

• Doug is “55% aware” of a potential Year 2 letdown, based on OSU precedent and the inherent challenges.
• Bill is closer to “30%,” citing Bo’s “good but not too good” freshman year, returning offensive line, and new offensive coordinator as positives.
• Nationally, most backs just above the 1,000-yard mark as freshmen often saw small sophomore dips—those with significant downturns were almost all injury-related.

Quote [37:14, Doug]:
"If there are Ohio State fans out there who are like ‘Bo Jackson, 1800 yards, All-American, watch out, baby,’ I think there’s a very real opposite side—we’ve seen it."

Quote [37:22, Bill]:
"I’m maybe more like 30 percent, because I do—the good but not too good factor influences me there."

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On J.K. Dobbins’ Year 2 Slump (Doug, 07:53):
  "He had more carries, but...350 fewer yards. In Year 3, he goes nuts. Sometimes, the valleys prepare the way for the peak."
• On Handling RB Workload (Bill, 13:22):
  "You see more teams going away from the 250-carry-a-year bell cow to spreading it around to two or three players."
• On Bo Jackson’s Mental Approach (Doug, 32:38):
  "Bo, so far, is a little more of a man of few words—he just maybe takes it as it comes because he wasn’t a five-star, because he wasn’t a running back his whole life."
• On NIL and Year 2 Pressure (Doug, 34:28):
  "Now you gotta raise—maybe not just what you did on the field, but now you gotta live up to the dough, man."

Segment Timestamps Guide

• 00:48 — Setting up the “Curse of the Second-Year Buckeye Running Back”
• 04:24 — Dobbins and Henderson: Cautionary Tales
• 07:53 — J.K. Dobbins’ Statistical Drop and Mental Toll
• 13:32 — Debating RB1 vs. Timeshare Approaches
• 16:23 — Who Could Seize the RB2 Job?
• 23:01 — Spring Football: Opportunities for Backups
• 25:28 — National Data on Sophomore Backs
• 27:34 — Risks and Lessons in RB Usage
• 30:06 — Bo's Sophomore Ceiling is Manageable
• 34:28 — Year 2 Pressure: NIL & Expectations
• 36:14 — How Concerned Should Fans Be? (Confidence Meter)

Conclusion

Doug and Bill provide a nuanced, data-driven, and empathetic examination of Bo Jackson’s coming sophomore season. They avoid both alarmism and unreasoned optimism, instead rooting their analysis in Buckeye history, player personalities, and modern college football realities. If you’re an Ohio State fan wondering whether Bo Jackson will sidestep the “second year curse,” this episode offers clarity, context, and plenty to ponder as spring football approaches.