With starting running back Jordan Hall out for at least the first few weeks of the season with a torn foot tendon (the result of a freak accident), the running back situation at Ohio State is as muddled as ever. Carlos Hyde saw significant playing time last year, and tailback Rod Smith was a 5-star recruit in the class of 2011; he's as promising as they come.

And then there's Bri'onte Dunn, another 5-star recruit who looks to have a bright future at Ohio State—or, at the very least, looked to have that bright future until a reported arrest this weekend.

Per ESPN:

Freshman Bri'onte Dunn was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop Saturday night in Alliance, Ohio. According to police, Dunn nearly hit a patrol car before he was pulled over. Then officers allegedly found a pipe and small amounts of marijuana in the car. Dunn received a citation and was not taken to jail.

Considering the fact that Jake Stoneburner and Jack Mewhort were taken off scholarship for the summer after a comparatively minor incident, this could—and should—be trouble for Dunn. We don't expect Meyer to kick Dunn off the team and then throw him onto the moon or anything like that, but we do expect multiple games lost to suspension.

And if Dunn catches enough heat with Meyer for this, then yes, a redshirt should absolutely be on the table. 

Now, it's easy to look at an idea like redshirting a player over disciplinary measures as overly punitive, like a season-long suspension. But the fact is that Dunn should be suspended for at least two games—which is, barring a setback, the entire portion of the season that Hall should be out. Dunn's similar enough to the other backs in the system (bull-strong, big, not so fast) that he isn't bringing enough to the table to where his redshirt is a necessity to burn.

Let's also consider the alternative: Dunn is suspended for multiple games, then comes back and plays as a true freshman. As mentioned before, Dunn doesn't fill a very unique role on a team that already has Hyde and Smith, so unless he's a superlative talent (like Maurice Clarett or Eddie George), he's not going to warrant major minutes. He's also not going to be on Urban Meyer's good side for a long while, as incidents like this linger.

So if Dunn plays as a true freshman, it'll probably effectively be a waste of one year of eligibility.

That's why we say keep Dunn on the sidelines for a year. Let him watch some tailbacks who might not be as good as him get some reps (reps that might have been his) this season. Remind him that he's lucky that this type of punishment doesn't take away any eligibility.

Tell him in no uncertain terms that his career at Ohio State isn't going to survive another such incident.

And then move on.

Bri'onte Dunn: Ohio State RB Charged with Marijuana Possession and Paraphernalia

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Bri’onte Dunn was arrested Saturday night for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop in Canton, Ohio, according to CantonRep.com.

The Canton Repository is reporting about the arrest and what was found when police investigated Dunn’s vehicle:

Police observed Dunn driving on E. Broadway Street when he almost ran the blinking red light at Arch Avenue, traveled over the crosswalk and almost struck a patrol car, according to a police report.

Police stopped Dunn for the violation, and he and his passenger were found to have a wooden pipe used for smoking marijuana, along with less than 200 grams of marijuana on the seat cushions and floor boards where he was seated. A small amount of marijuana was also found in the driver’s door pocket, according to the police report.

The freshman tailback was the star of GlenOak High School and ranked No. 11 by Rivals.com before committing to Ohio State. With his arrest, there are serious questions about how the Buckeyes will react to Dunn’s indiscretions.

What It Means

Dunn was one of the best recruits in the Ohio State program and was slated to be a big part of head coach Urban Meyer’s plan in the backfield going forward.

That is all in jeopardy now.

If the report of “200 grams of marijuana” is correct, that has to be grounds for a felony. In that case, there isn’t much Ohio State could do to keep him enrolled at the school.

The Buckeyes must suspend Dunn indefinitely and wait until the court case is settled before making their final decision. The last thing they want to do is jump to conclusions with such a young athlete.

What’s Next?

A troubled star may have no better place to find guidance than under the tutelage of Urban Meyer, who proved with the Florida Gators that he knows how to handle trouble and help his student-athletes grow.

Dunn may have been immediately dismissed on another team, but Meyer takes great pride in his ability to reform an athlete.

Depending on how severe the punishment is from his arrest, though, the Buckeyes may have no choice but to cut ties with the star. Not a good way to start a college career.