Despite putting up 73 points of offense against Eastern Michigan Saturday, concerns remain in the running game.

“Their game plan was probably to stop the run since we’re a team that likes to set up the run first,” wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said.

Dan Herron managed just 56 yards on the ground on 12 carries, and Brandon Saine had just three carries for 11 yards.

“There was an extra safety down about four yards from the line of scrimmage every time we had two backs, and they weren’t going to just let us line up and run the ball,” coach Jim Tressel said.

Opponents’ game plan aside, this is not the first time this year that Saine and Herron, the team’s top two tailbacks, have struggled.

The pair averaged just 3.6 yards per carry against Ohio University a week ago. Their average for the last two games is only 3.9 yards per carry.

Neither back has been able to break off a big gain against the Mid-American Conference opponents. The longest carry of either back Saturday was a 13-yard gain by Herron.

Tressel did not seem concerned about the tailbacks in his postgame press conference and said that run blocking was not an issue.

Left guard Justin Boren attributed the lack of success on the ground to play calling.

“I think if we ran (as much as we passed), we would have been just as successful,” he said.

Pryor surpasses the century mark

For the second time this season, quarterback Terrelle Pryor went more than 100 yards rushing. He had seven carries for 104 yards and a touchdown on Saturday.

Pryor’s 53-yard touchdown run on the first Ohio State drive of the game was a career-long and set the tone for his big day on the ground.

“He is such a great athlete,” Boren said. “He is the best athlete on the team.”

Pryor leads the team with 311 yards on the ground this season.

The backup quarterbacks, Joe Bauserman and Kenny Guiton, added 32 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

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Hall scores twice

Running back Jordan Hall is used to making plays in the ground game, but Saturday he did his damage through the air, as he caught and threw for a touchdown.

“It definitely feels good to get involved in the offense and try to make plays for the team,” he said.

Hall scored on his only reception when he caught Bauserman’s pass out of the backfield and found the end zone 17 yards later in the fourth quarter.

He threw a 20-yard touchdown to Pryor on a trick play in the third quarter.

“I was nervous because I didn’t warm up (my arm) on the sideline,” Hall said.

Hall had 63 total yards of offense, more than the 46 yards he totaled in the first three games of the season.

Berry finds the end zone

Freshmen Jaamal Berry streaks down the sideline on the way to a touchdown during the fourth quarter. Photo by Austin Owens

Jaamal Berry took a handoff to the right side 67 yards for his first career touchdown with about eight minutes left in the game Saturday.

“I just saw the end zone and knew I wasn’t going to stop until I got there,” Berry said. “I’ve been waiting for that.”

Tressel said it was a great individual effort by the running back.

Berry, who has seen limited game action in his career, said he doesn’t remember the last time he scored a touchdown in a game.