Ezekiel Elliott vs. Purdue

Freshman running back Ezekiel Elliott is still a reserve for Ohio State, but he was Urban Meyer's top target at the position in the 2013 recruiting class.

(Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Derrick Green wears No. 27 because he grew up idolizing former Ohio State running back Eddie George.

Some of Green’s fondest memories from his childhood are the times he shared with his late grandfather watching Ohio State every Saturday, which is where his infatuation with George, a former Heisman Trophy winner, began.

And when Green got to Richmond (Va.) Hermitage and became one of the most highly rated running backs in the 2013 recruiting class, there was a time, at least for a brief period, where he envisioned being the next great Buckeyes running back.

Now Green, a freshman at Michigan, has been named the Wolverines’ starting running back for their game against Ohio State on Saturday.

Maybe being turned away by Ohio State during the recruiting process last year motivates Green, but that was a risk Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was willing to make to land his guy.

And his guy at the running back in the 2013 class was Ezekiel Elliott, a former four-star prospect from St. Louis John Burroughs School whom Rivals.com rated as the No. 12 back in the country.

Maybe Meyer would have taken both. But at the risk of potentially losing Elliott by recruiting too many running backs, Meyer devoted himself to his top target by distancing Ohio State from Green during the summer.

Green went his own way and eventually landed on Michigan, while the Buckeyes saw the risk pay off by signing Elliott.

“That meant a lot to us,” Stacy Elliott, the father of Ohio State’s freshman running back, told Cleveland.com in a recent phone interview. “When Derrick Green was not invited to the Friday Night Lights camp because they had Ezekiel Elliott, it meant a whole lot to me and (his mother) Dawn. I know it meant a lot to Ezekiel.”

When Michigan hosts Ohio State on Saturday, the game marks the first time the two running backs will face off against each other. And if everything goes to plan for both programs, they’ll be featured running backs against each other for years to come.

Right now, it may seem that Green, Rivals’ top-rated running back in the 2013 recruiting class, is acclimating to the college game faster. He’s starting for Michigan while Elliott has taken a reserve role for the Buckeyes, contributing the most on special teams.

But looks can be deceiving.

At Ohio State, starter Carlos Hyde has stolen the show, becoming Meyer’s first-ever 1,000-yard running back and a top-notch NFL prospect. Meanwhile, Elliott has been forced to learn from the senior from the bench.

Ezekiel Elliott is still in a reserve role for Ohio State, but he could be the running back of the future for the Buckeyes.

At Michigan, Green is taking advantage of an unstable backfield to assert himself as the Wolverines’ best runner. Michigan’s rushing attack has struggled, though, averaging less than 35 yards on the ground per game in November.

In short spurts on the field in a few of Ohio State’s blowout victories, Elliott has shown flashes of what Meyer fell in love with during the recruiting process. He’s a versatile running back that can run between the tackles as well as catching a pass out of the backfield.

The big-bodied Green doesn’t fit that same profile. Perhaps that’s why Meyer’s decision to go all-in on Elliott made sense.

“If you asked me five years ago and I knew Ezekiel would have been a Division I prospect, I would have told you he would probably go to Mizzou or Notre Dame,” Stacy said. “But the Urban Meyer factor and the offense that he runs is perfect for Ezekiel. It was an opportunity that was just very hard to turn down.”

Elliott hasn't had enough face time, but Meyer gives him great reviews – sometimes unprompted – every chance he gets. When Hyde departs at the end of this year, Elliott should get a better chance to shine in Ohio State's offense.

But at least for the first Ohio State-Michigan game the two will play in, Green will have the bigger role.

“

I believe at times Ezekiel may get a little frustrated because he hasn't played more, but I also believe that Ezekiel is patient enough and understands that his time is coming,

”

Stacy said.

“

I am excited about what I am hearing from Ezekiel and what I am seeing. The future looks bright.

”