Nowhere To Run, Nowhere For Hyde?

Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer determined a punishment for senior running back Carlos Hyde on July 31st, suspending Hyde the first three games of the 2013 season.  The video of the incident has been released, allowing individuals to speculate as to how lenient or harsh Coach Meyer has been with his discipline of Hyde.

With the suspension of Carlos Hyde, the opportunity for increased playing time has arrived for redshirt junior Rod Smith, sophomore Bri'onte Dunn, redshirt freshman Warren Ball, and freshman Ezekiel Elliott.  Returning senior Jordan Hall is also an option, as well as incoming freshman Dontre Wilson.  While Smith, Dunn, Ball, and Elliott are more of the traditional running back style, Hall and Wilson both could be classified as "Percy Harvin-types", players who could be receiver or running threats out of the backfield.

If there was any position on the team that could withstand a suspension, it would be the running back position for the Buckeyes.  Smith, Dunn, and Hall all have experience carrying the ball for Ohio State, with Hall being the most extensive and experienced.

With a three game suspension, it leads me to this question ~ is there a possibility that Carlos Hyde will not be able to reclaim a substantial role as a ball carrier for Ohio State in 2013?

Before dismissing this question completely, please re-read Coach Meyer's statement on Carlos Hyde's suspension -  “Carlos Hyde will be suspended for at least the first three games of the 2013 season for conduct not representative of this football program or this university. He will be required to fulfill additional obligations before he is allowed to play in a game.”

"At least three games".  "Additional obligations".  It is entirely possible that Hyde could miss even more than three games.

What if Rod Smith runs for over a hundred years in each of the three games while Carlos Hyde is suspended?  Or Bri'onte Dunn demonstrates the skills that made him such a highly-touted recruit out of high school?

No matter how any of the other players perform, it seems likely that Carlos Hyde will have to work his way back up the depth chart, to regain the trust of the coaching staff.  The story will be worth keeping an eye and ear open for as the season progresses.

Nowhere to run, nowhere for Hyde?  The other running backs on the 2013 Buckeyes may make this a possible theme song that Carlos Hyde may not want to hear.