YOUNG & RESTLESS
OSU end should have place in Heisman field
HE def inition of the Heisman Trophy is the award for the most outstanding player in college football. The best player on the best team is often the recipient.
At this point in the season, is there any feasible argument against that player being Chase Young? The hulking defensive lineman fits that description to a tee.
Just look at the 6-foot-5, 265-pound junior’s performance in Ohio State’s toughest game. Four sacks, five tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in a 38-7 rout of Wisconsin. He leads the country with 13.5 sacks. He has 15.5 tackles for loss. He has five forced fumbles. He’s the backbone of the lowest-scoring defense (7.9) in the country and quite possibly the No. 1 NFL prospect in the nation, too.
“He’s the most dominant player in college football,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day told reporters on Saturday. “He completely changes the game.”
There are a number of quarterbacks having phenomenal years, including Young’s teammate, Justin Fields. Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts has scored 34 touchdowns and produced 3,270 all-purpose yards. Joe Burrow has already set LSU’s single-season passing touchdowns record with 30 and counting, and has the Tigers undefeated in the brutal SEC West. Alabama signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa is still a contender, despite the high ankle sprain he’s currently dealing with, having thrown 27 touchdown passes and just two interceptions while completing 74.7 percent of his passes.
They are obviously all contenders, likely already headed for a trip to New
York City in December. Young should be there, too.
Quarterbacks have dominated the Heisman in recent years, winning nine of the last 10. A pure defensive player has never won the award before. The closest was Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997, but a large part of his production came as a dynamic punt returner and a part-time wide receiver.
Two defensive players have come cl ose. Pittsburgh defensive end Hugh Green in 1980 and Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o in 2012 both finished second, losing out to skillposition offensive players. Perhaps if Young makes history, breaking the NCAA single-season sack record, that would help his case. He’s 11.5 behind Terrell Suggs’ 24 set at Arizona State in 2002. With seven games left — that number depends on the Buckeyes playing the Big Ten championship and both playoff contests — it’s not out of the question. Votes have to be in before the playoff, but his chase could at least help his cause.
Odds a re, it wo n ’ t happen with Young. There are too many quarterbacks having terrific seasons, players he may see in the playoff. But Young should be in the mix, at least named a finalist. He has to be seriously considered.
As the saying goes, defense wins championships. Ohio State wouldn’t be a title contender without its dominant defensive lineman.
Help better come Soon’
Oklahoma’s playoff hopes didn’t end Saturday at Kansas State. Jalen Hurts and Co. still have a shot. But the Sooners now have zero margin for error — win out and hope. Hope they get some help from fellow contenders.
Hope the playoff committee doesn’t look down on t hei r s of t nonconference schedule. Hope Texas doesn’t fall further after its loss to TCU, Kansas State goes on a run to improve the Sooners’ loss, and Baylor remains undefeated until the two teams meet on Nov. 16. Oklahoma now finds itself in the muck, along with Oregon, a second yet-to-bedetermined SEC school and a host of others.
Their time in the spotlight
This season hasn’t delivered many surprises. The teams everyone expected to dominate, the Clemsons, Alabamas and Ohio States around the country, remain perfect. But there have been a few out-of-nowhere stories. A look down the latest AP Top-25 poll illustrates that.
At No. 13 is Minnesota. Two spots down is SMU, off to its best start since starting 10-0 way back in 1982. Minnesota, alone atop the Big Ten West, hasn’t been ranked this high since 1999 and hasn’t been 8-0 since winning a national championship in 1941. The s port needs this, a nice respite from the toph e av y fatig ue from the usual high-powered programs.