Bo Jackson is the unquestioned starter going into 2026, but Ohio State’s best version almost always comes with two backs the staff trusts.
That is why the RB2 job is quietly one of the most important position battles of the offseason. A real second option changes how defenses play early downs, keeps the run game efficient late in games, and gives the offense a different body type or skill set when short yardage and red zone snaps decide outcomes.
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The competition also has an early wrinkle, Bo Jackson and Isaiah West are expected to miss spring practice while recovering from shoulder surgeries, which could shift the early rep distribution and create a wider runway for newcomers to learn the offense and earn trust.
Isaiah West has already earned meaningful trust
West’s case starts with what actually happened late last season. As a true freshman, he didn’t just get mop up carries. He carved out real snaps, finishing 2025 with 59 carries for 310 yards and two touchdowns (5.3 yards per carry).
That production alone doesn’t win the job, but it does confirm Ohio State was comfortable putting him on the field as the season tightened, which is usually the loudest signal a staff can send about a young back.
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The other part of West’s argument is stylistic fit next to Bo. If Jackson is the tone setter with chunk play ability, West profiles as the steady counterpunch who can keep the offense on schedule. He already showed he can be efficient in limited volume, and if Ohio State’s 2026 plan leans into keeping Jackson fresh and dangerous, West is the most natural option in the room.
Ja’Kobi Jackson as the experience and power option
If West is the continuity play, Jackson is the different answers play.
Ohio State added the Florida transfer in mid January, and the appeal is clear. He brings age, SEC experience, and a sturdier short yardage profile than the younger backs in this room.
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Jackson rushed for 509 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 at Florida, then was limited in 2025 before an injury ended his season. That matters because Ohio State’s RB2 isn’t just a spell back, it is often the closer, the goal line hammer, or the “get four yards no matter what” option when defenses are selling out.
His path to RB2 is pretty straightforward. If spring and fall camp show the staff can trust him in pass protection, trust him to hit the right hole, and trust him to finish runs in tight spaces, he gives the offense a different body type and a different pace. And if the room is young behind the top two, that veteran reliability can become a weekly advantage.
The wild cards are speed and role players. Anthony ‘Turbo’ Rogers is already on the roster as a redshirt freshman back with a profile Ohio State can use in space and on designed touches. And on the recruiting side, incoming freshman, Legend Bey has been discussed as a chess piece type athlete who can add speed, even if that impact comes more through select packages than true RB2 volume.
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Final thoughts
This battle is less about naming a backup and more about shaping the identity of Ohio State’s run game behind Bo Jackson.
Isaiah West represents continuity and trust. He already proved the staff is comfortable putting him on the field in meaningful moments, and his efficiency suggests the offense can stay on schedule without changing its structure when Bo Jackson needs a breather.
Ja’Kobi Jackson, meanwhile, offers contrast. His size, experience, and nose for the end zone give Ohio State a different gear in short yardage and physical situations, the kind of snaps that decide Big Ten games and playoff drives.
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However it shakes out, RB2 will not be an afterthought. It will be a role with real volume, real responsibility, and real influence over how balanced and durable this offense is when the games matter most.
