Columbus, Ohio – At the beginning of the college football season many of my reporter comrades and myself were discussing Chase Young, the outstanding Ohio State Defensive End. We were trying to figure out how many sacks he would have as well as discussing the defense of the Buckeyes for the upcoming season. Being a Buckeye reporter up close to the action, my take on it was much different than theirs.
Although I am a huge supporter of the team, all Ohio State teams, I also tell the truth and am realistic. The over/under on his sack total in the discussion was 10. Most were saying he would have a big drop off, a one year wonder, that Ohio State would struggle under new Head Coach Ryan Day, etc. I was one of the few who took over 10.
As a matter of fact, I remember clearly stating that “he would get 15.” Many laughed at me, called me a homer, said I had no clue. These are the same people who picked the Buckeyes to be at the middle or near the bottom of the Big Ten East. Again, seeing the recruiting, knowing many of the players and recruits, I picked the Buckeyes to win the East again. And I was right.
Chase Young just set the single-season Buckeye sack total against a very talented Penn State team last Saturday. On his first sack of the game against the Nittany Lions, he broke Vernon Gholston’s record of 14 sacks in 2007. He would go on to get two more sacks on the day for a total of 16 with one game left to play against their rivals this Saturday.
Young had sat out the last two games as an NCAA punishment for accepting a loan from an old family friend, a loan which he paid off in full. The two teams he sat out against, Maryland and Rutgers, he would have dominated and had easily over 20 sacks by now!
This season, his junior year, the defensive end was already being talked about as one of the top defensive players in the country. As a sophomore, Young recorded 33 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, nine and a half sacks, five passes defended and one forced fumble despite playing most of the season with both ankles sprained. And he has come back stronger and better than ever along with the whole Buckeye defense.
With his quick get off and flashy speed the 6’5″ 265 Predator has registered 16.5 sacks, 38 total tackles, 27 solo, and 7 forced fumbles. He faces double teams each week and is constantly being held up but still manages to dominate. And there is much Heisman talk about him. Although he probably will not win it, he is very deserving of it because the award is supposed to go to the most outstanding player in NCAA football and he has made a good case for it.
Young came to Ohio State as a five-star prospect out of DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. He was rated the top player from his home state, the second-best strongside defensive end in the 2017 class and the country’s seventh-best player according to the 247Sports Composite.