Michigan Football: Everything you need to know about Ohio State
The defense
The Buckeyes defense with sack master Chase Young is drastically different than the one without it. No one comes close to Young’s NCAA leading 16.5 sacks or seven forced fumbles and no one could fill his shoes when Ohio State allowed a combined 35 points to the Big Ten’s two worst teams, Rutgers and Maryland, during his time off.
#2️⃣ is #1️⃣‼️@youngchase907 now has ❌ore sacks in a season than any other player in Ohio State Football history.#GoBucks #ToughLove pic.twitter.com/Qda3hlv8nr
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 25, 2019
Young’s absence wasn’t voluntary; he broke NCAA rules by accepting a loan and the administration – in keeping with their tradition of winning at all costs – masterminded a plot to sit Chase during the easiest part of the schedule.
Chase, the record holder for most sacks in a single-season, made it back just in time for the grueling lineup of Penn State and Michigan. With the Penn State victory in the rearview mirror, Young has his eyes locked on Shea Patterson.
When Shea isn’t being hunted by Chase, he will have to deal with the sticky-fingered Jeffrey Okudah, who leads the team in interceptions, and the overly coordinated Shaun Wade, who leads OSU in pass deflections.
Michigan’s D isn’t too shabby. Being ranked fourth for total defense is an impressive feat. The problem is Ohio State is ranked higher at No. 1 in the nation. Sometimes, life isn’t fair.