Ohio State Football: Buckeyes’ defense snubbed from All-Big Ten honors
The Ohio State defense underperformed this season and as a result few players on that side of the ball made 1st or 2nd team All-Big Ten.
This week the Big Ten announced the players that made the coaches and media All-Big Ten teams for defense in 2018. I realize the news is dampening what has otherwise been a glorious week for Ohio State football, but no linebackers made first, second or third-team All-Big Ten.
Given the results, getting snubbed is not shocking. The problem is this has occurred for the second-straight season.
These selections are probably the bleakest list of honors ever for a Buckeyes’ defense.
The highlights were Dre’Mont Jones making the First-Team for coaches and Second-Team for the media and Chase Young making the Second-Team for coaches and Third-Team for media. Jordan Fuller made Second-Team on the media’s list.
One of the more surprising announcements was Nick Bosa earning Honorable Mention by the media despite playing in just two-and-half games. I suppose the media rightfully recognized that his absence was felt most of the season, schematically and from a leadership perspective.
Fair or not, the lack of respect was certainly earned on the field by up and down play by the defense.
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Buckeye Nation expected to see the defense that took the field against Michigan play that way all season. It did not and now the 29-point loss to Purdue is a 1000-pound weight around the Buckeyes’ neck for making the College Football Playoff Invitational.
I have been accused of making too much of the 31-0 loss to Clemson, but I believe that game took the soul away from the program. I think Ohio State got it back against Michigan.
The Buckeyes showed a level of physicality that has been largely missing for the better part of two years.
They dominated in the trenches and that is Ohio State’s brand of football. We also saw the return of the blood-thirsty Urban Meyer.
Next. CFP for OSU and OU but not ND?. dark
If that team shows up in Indianapolis, it will whip the Northwestern Wildcats and hopefully be rewarded by the Playoff Committee on Sunday.