As a true freshman in 2022, Dallan Hayden proved he could play and excel at a high level.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2024, Hayden is looking to prove he’s still capable of doing that.
The Ohio State transfer running back is one of the more intriguing newcomers for the Colorado Buffaloes this season as he fights for a starting role during preseason camp.
“Very eager,” he said after a recent CU practice. “Thatap like a big point for me this year, to show people I’m still the back that was playing my freshman year at Ohio State.”
Coming out of Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., in 2022, Hayden was a four-star recruit with 31 scholarship offers. After rushing for 3,967 yards and 54 touchdowns in his last two years of high school, Hayden picked Ohio State, which has been a running back factory over the years, over Notre Dame, Illinois and others.
During his first season with the Buckeyes, he rushed for 553 yards and five touchdowns, finishing third in rushing on a team that played in the College Football Playoff. Hayden, in fact, got the starting nod in OSU’s 42-41 semifinal loss to Georgia.
Hayden’s 2022 season included three 100-yard games, highlighted by 146 yards and three touchdowns at Maryland. Yet, last year, the Buckeyes chose to redshirt him because of their depth. Hayden played in three games, carrying the ball 19 times for 110 yards.
“Yeah, for sure, it was difficult,” he said. “I played a lot my freshman year, then I get redshirted the next year. Everything happens for a reason. Just trust in God’s plan and it’ll be alright.”
In April, Hayden entered the transfer portal and landed at CU.
“Everything they stand for,” he said of why he picked CU. “All this NFL experience on our staff, coach Prime (Deion Sanders), he knows a lot of NFL owners and has a bunch of NFL connections. So I said why not here?”
Hayden comes to Colorado 33 years after his father, Aaron, was briefly committed to the Buffs. A star running back in Detroit, Aaron was verbally committed to CU in 1991 for a few weeks before signing with Tennessee and eventually playing in the NFL.
The most experienced player in CU’s backfield, Hayden brings talent and knowledge of how to win. OSU went 22-4 the last two years.
“I just try to bring the pro mindset, just always be about my business when I touch the paint on the field,” he said. “Know my assignments, just try to bring energy to the room.”
Former walk-on Charlie Offerdahl, Arkansas transfer Isaiah Augustave and true freshmen Brandon Hood and Micah Welch are also competing for the top spot, but Hayden feels he can be a valuable asset for the Buffs.
“I feel like I’m an every down back,” he said. “I can block, can catch and run, in between and outside the tackles. So I feel like I’m an every down back.”
For Hayden, or any of the running backs, to reach their potential, CU will have to show more dedication to the ground game. Hayden believes the Buffs and first-year coordinator Pat Shurmur will lean on a run game.
“Oh yeah, itap a big emphasis because in football, I mean, it might be a pass-first game, but you can’t get the pass game going if you can’t get the run going,” he said. “So itap a big emphasis for sure.”
