Trey Sermon did not spend too much time in the transfer portal, announcing his intentions to join the Ohio State program less than two weeks after his official exit from Oklahoma. Sermon was a four-star prospect out of Georgia in the class of 2017 and had visited Ohio State during the recruiting process before signing with the Sooners. He was one of the top rushers for Oklahoma’s offense in 2018 with 947 yards and 13 touchdowns but saw his touches and playing time decrease during 2019 before his season was cut short by a knee injury.
Even with the injury, Sermon finished as the team’s fourth-leading rusher with 385 yards and four touchdowns for the year. He left the program on good terms, noting his in announcement that he “will always cherish my time [at Oklahoma] and am grateful for all that’s been done for me.”
Sermon made the news of his Ohio State commitment official on his Twitter account.
This is a huge boost for Ohio State’s backfield heading into 2020 as the Buckeyes look to follow up on last year’s College Football Playoff appearance with another run at the national championship. Justin Fields is back under center, but the offense needs production at the running back position to provide balance in the backfield. J.K. Dobbins was a huge part of that balance last year, and not only are his yards and touchdowns off to the NFL Draft, but the depth in the room is a concern following injuries to backups Master Teague and Marcus Crowley.
We may not know exactly when college football programs are going to be reconvening on campus for in-person work amid the sport being brought to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic, but Ohio State will have addressed a major concern for its national championship hopes thanks to the commitment of Sermon.
