COLUMBUS, Ohio _ Running back Ezekiel Elliott carried Ohio State to the 2014 national championship with a herculean performance of 696 yards and eight touchdowns in the final three games.
Now, unfairly or not, the Buckeyes are trying to create his clone, one who might repeat such feats.
OSU coach Urban Meyer knows redshirt freshman Mike Weber's traits compare more to Carlos Hyde's than Elliott's. But Meyer is pushing Weber to emulate Elliott, to become a complete back like the Dallas Cowboys rookie who now leads the NFL in rushing.
"There is such an emphasis here about the selfless player. Zeke had a reputation of being arguably the best tailback in a couple decades as far as blocking and things without the ball. So we actually want him to be a lot like Zeke, and use it as an example quite often," Meyer said in reference to Weber on Oct. 3.
Going into the Dec. 31 College Football Playoff semifinal against Clemson, Weber has rushed for a team-leading 1,072 yards and nine touchdowns, but hasn't proved to be the same type of game-breaker as Elliott. In four games against ranked opponents, Weber has reached 100 yards once _ at Oklahoma on Sept. 17. His highest total in the past eight games was 111 yards on 14 carries at Michigan State.
But there has been progress. In the double-overtime victory over Michigan on Nov. 26, Weber's block took out All-America linebacker Jabrill Peppers on Curtis Samuel's 15-yard game-winning TD run.
"To see Curtis running into the end zone untouched ... and all of the fans on the field, it was probably one of the best moments in my life," Weber said Thursday, unfazed that he managed just 26 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown against the Wolverines.
As the Buckeyes prepare for the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, the lessons on how Weber can follow in Elliott's footsteps will keep coming. But the emphasis is not on Elliott's 2014 efforts against Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon.
"I don't know that we've sat down and said, 'We need you to do this in this game.' It's more of developing as an all-around player," offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said. "It's more about the preparation. It's certain things Zeke did that we kept on film like his blocking and some of his extra effort runs and things he was really good at that made him an elite player."
