“So, assuming Chase Young picks up right where he left off, it’s not out of the question to believe he can insert himself right back into the mix as a Heisman Trophy finalist thanks to two unique aspects of support for his candidacy.”
- Austin Ward, Lettermen Row
Prior to this past Friday, Ohio State defensive end Chase Young had put himself squarely in the Heisman conversation after a huge four-sack, two-forced fumble performance against Wisconsin. The edge rusher has been playing like the best player in the country throughout the year, but the dominant showing against the Badgers really got his name out there, and many began to believe we were looking at the first purely defensive player to potentially win the award supposedly given to the “nation’s most outstanding player” and not just a quarterback.
Well, fast forward to now, and a huge wrench has been thrown into Young’s Heisman candidacy, as a two-game suspension has forced him to miss potentially stat-padding matchups against both Maryland and Rutgers. While he is now exceedingly unlikely to break any single-season sack records, the junior defensive end still leads the country with 13.5 sacks on the year, and will have a chance to make his mark on the college football season with a pair of marquee matchups on the horizon against Penn State and Michigan.
As Ward discusses, there are two key aspects into how Young could work his way back into the chase (see what I did there?) for the Heisman. The first is how the remarkable edge rusher has already been able to change the thought process behind the award. While the trophy has recently been reserved for a quarterback, Young’s ability to completely take over a game — especially one on a national stage — has flipped a switch in peoples’ minds that it is entirely possible for a defensive player to bring home the hardware.
Secondly, the stakes in which you have your big moments contribute greatly to your candidacy. Young was able to spring to the top of the board with a big performance against a highly-ranked opponent, shutting down an offense that featured another Heisman hopeful in Jonathan Taylor. The last two regular season games for Ohio State will have similar stakes, as they will feature ranked matchups against both Penn State and Michigan. If Young is able to even somewhat replicate his Wisconsin performance against the two premier Big Ten foes, there is no reason to think an invitation to New York is entirely out of the question just yet.
“The Buckeyes come into the game a three-point favorite even though the Wildcats are the higher-ranked team in the Associated Press Poll. This game should serve as the first of many tests this season for Ohio State, and its first two games have done an excellent job of preparing them for it.”
- Stephen Means, Cleveland.com
Take a trip down memory lane, if you will. Take it back to the state of the Ohio State men’s basketball program just before Chris Holtmann took over the reigns in 2017. Would you believe me if I told you that in just two years time, the Buckeyes would be favorited against a top-10 Jay Wright-led Villanova team?
That is where we currently stand, as Ohio State is about to take on its first ranked non-conference opponent in the Holtmann era. The Wildcats have been one of the premier programs in the country for quite some time, winning the National Championship twice since just 2016. The Buckeyes’ new head coach wanted to be aggressive in his scheduling, and really see what his team is made of in the non-conference schedule. Tonight, he will get his first shot.
Villanova has played just one game so far in 2019, easily dispelling Army 97-54. While the Wildcats’ two leading scorers from a season ago in Eric Paschall and Phil Booth aren't walking through that door, Wright has put together yet another incredibly talented group. One of his two five-star freshman led the way against the Black Knights, as Jeremiah Robinson-Earl poured in 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting while adding 13 rebounds. Ohio State’s defense will have it’s hands full with the 6-foot-9 forward, but its first two contests have been great preparation for what it will see tonight.
The offense has been slow out of the gate in both of the Buckeyes’ games to start the year, but the defense has never wavered. Villanova is a team that will beat you down with its physicality. Luckily for Holtmann’s group, they have shown an ability to be equally as physical on the defensive end. They put in a really impressive effort in their last time out, as the Bucks were able to hold UMass-Lowell guard Christian Lutete to just nine points, coming off his previous outing wherein he dropped a cool 51 points.
Wright’s group will look to spread the floor and throw a ton of looks at Ohio State early on. The Buckeyes cannot afford to get out to yet another slow shooting start against the Wildcats, or things will get out of hand quickly. If OSU can stay sound on the defensive end like they've shown they're more than capable of thus far, it could be a major program-defining victory for the boys in Columbus.
Broyles Award list of nominees for CFB’s best assistant coach. pic.twitter.com/BKuBAJNXUn
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) November 13, 2019
Ohio State’s coaching staff this season has been phenomenal from top to bottom, and one of the guys instrumental in turning around what was a horrific defense a season ago is getting some recognition. Jeff Hafley, the Buckeyes’ co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach, has been nominated for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s best assistant.
Hafley has been an essential part of what has become a defensive revelation at Ohio State. With a lineup comprised almost entirely of the same players from last season, he and the rest of Ryan Day’s defensive coaching staff have put together a unit that ranks No. 1 in the nation in points allowed per game (8.6) and yards allowed per game (214.8). Hafley’s secondary, specifically, has been lights out all year, led by Jeff Okudah — who himself is a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top DB.
Less talked about has been Hafley’s work in recruiting, where he is quietly one of the best in the country. He has helped put together an impressive 2020 class which includes two four-star defensive backs in Clark Phillips III (No. 5 CB, No. 45 overall) and Lathan Ransom (No. 3 S, No. 77 overall). Hafley is currently ranked by 247sports as the No. 4 recruiter in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten, behind only fellow Buckeye Brian Hartline.
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