Badgers must stop Young
MADISON, Wis. – Any offensive coordinator who faces Ohio State understands that all the hours spent on crafting the game plan will have been wasted if defensive end Chase Young is allowed to camp out in the backfield.
“He’s just an extremely dynamic player, an incredible athlete,” Wisconsin offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph said. “They’re smart. They move him around. If you draw that card, you’ve got to do a great job.”
Young, 6-5 and 265 pounds, is the anchor of the Buckeyes’ front seven and their most disruptive player.
Can the 13th-ranked Badgers (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) contain the talented junior when they meet the fourth-ranked Buckeyes (7-0, 4-0) when the teams meet Saturday in Columbus?
Young is No. 1 nationally in sacks (91⁄2) and sack yardage (-70 yards). His average of 1.36 sacks per game is the No. 1 mark in the country. He had a sack in the first quarter of the Buckeyes’ 52-3 victory over Northwestern to extend his sack streak to nine consecutive games.
During the streak, Young has recorded 131⁄2 sacks for a combined 95 yards. Since the start of last season, Young leads the nation in sacks with 20 in a total of 21 games.
“He is obviously really talented and plays with great effort,” UW coach Paul Chryst said. “He’s got good size, length … explosive. And I think like any good player, he has that confidence. He has done it.” Over and over.
Young can line up at right end or left end. He is also explosive enough to move inside in obvious passing situations if the Ohio State defensive staff thinks it can surprise the opponent.
He has enough power to walk a lineman into the backfield and is quick enough to use a speed rush to the outside or cut inside if the tackle cheats too far to the outside.
UW left tackle Cole Van Lanen expects to see Young across the line of scrimmage Saturday.
“I see what you guys see,” Van Lanen said. “I think he is a tremendous athlete, a true prototype edge rusher. He is very quick off the edge. He’s got a good handful of moves he can use.
“It’s definitely going to be a challenge, but I’m excited to take on the challenge and show the type of player I am, too.”
Young has 23 total tackles, tied for third highest on the team. Almost half (101⁄2) have been for loss.
Young recently spoke bluntly about his goals for the 2019 Buckeyes.
“I feel like just my whole time here, I’ve never been to the Playoffs,” Young told Cleveland.com. “I feel like every year, we had a fluke loss.”
The loss that kept the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff in 2017 was a 55-24 decision at Iowa. Ohio State settled for the Cotton Bowl and a date with No. 8 Southern California. The Buckeyes prevailed 24-7 to finish 12-2.
The loss that kept the Buckeyes out of the Playoffs last season was a 49-20 decision at Purdue. Ohio State settled for the Rose Bowl and a date with No. 9 Washington. The Buckeyes prevailed 28-23 to finish 13-1.
The Buckeyes finished a combined 25-3 in those two seasons and Young wants more this time.
“I’m just real focused,” he told Cleveland.com. “I tell them every day, it’s only one game, and one game can make us not get where we want to be. So I try to stay focused and stay locked in. I’ll laugh when the job is done.”