By: MATT MARKEY (ToledoBlade.com) — COLUMBUS - The clearly defined low-water mark in the 2009 season for the Ohio State Buckeyes was game seven, a 26-18 loss at Purdue. The Buckeyes rushed the ball 28 times in that game for a meager 66 yards - 2.4 yards per carry - an almost certain formula for defeat. As it prepares for the Jan. 1 meeting with Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Ohio State wants to put that performance deeper and deeper into the rearview mirror. “After the Purdue game, we really got our act together and played well,” said OSU junior running back Brandon Saine. The following week, the Buckeyes rushed for 270 yards on 49 carries against Minnesota in a 38-7 rout, the first of five straight wins. They averaged a crisp 5.5 yards per carry against the Golden Gophers. “I just think the offensive line started to play with a little bit of a chip on its shoulder and they knew they had to get the job done,” Saine said. “As running backs, we were able to feed off of their energy and do well also.” The Buckeyes continued to run the ball with much success throughout the remainder of the season, and ended the year with 2,387 yards rushing, 20 rushing touchdowns, and an average of 4.7 yards per carry.Saine finished the season with 694 yards rushing, second on the team to quarterback Terrelle Pryor’s 707 yards. Sophomore Dan Herron missed the better part of four games and finished with 558 rushing yards.

“Statistically, particularly in the back half of the year, we did a much better job taking care of the football and a much better job running the football,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. “Therefore, we did a much better job winning.”

The Buckeyes expect to need that power-running, ball-control offense humming along at high efficiency when…..

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