The Ohio State running back is out for the rest of the season after undergoing a season-ending surgery, Ryan Day said during his press conference Tuesday.
Day said Williams, a redshirt junior, has not yet decided whether he will return to Ohio State for the 2024 season. He still has two remaining seasons of eligibility with the extra year of eligibility all players received in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ohio State’s leading rusher in 2022, Williams was the No. 3 running back on the Buckeyes’ depth chart this season behind TreVeyon Henderson and Chip Trayanum. He had his most productive game of the season against Penn State, rushing for 62 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, but was sidelined for the other two of Ohio State’s last three games against Purdue and Wisconsin with an undisclosed injury.
Day did not specify the nature of Williams’ injury on Tuesday.
With Williams out, Dallan Hayden – who has played in only two games this season as Ohio State looks to potentially preserve his redshirt – becomes the third running back on the depth chart behind Henderson and Trayanum.