Ohio State Football: One last battle in the ‘Shoe’ for seniors
The seniors on the Ohio State football team will take the field for the last time at the ‘Shoe’ Saturday and will have the opportunity to battle Penn State for a Big Ten East title.
The Ohio State seniors that storm out of the southeast tunnel Saturday will have one last chance to sing Carmen Ohio, hear TBDBITL play one last time and give their heart and soul for Buckeye Nation.
They have worn with the Scarlet and Gray with pride to a 46-5 record, two Big Ten championships and two New Year’s Six victories.
The seniors have ridden out the storm that was 2018, traversed through the replacement of an Urban Legend, and led the way for a team that ranks first in scoring offense and defense in 2019.
Let’s look at some of those seniors who will be playing their last game in Ohio Stadium.
Damon Arnette, fifth-year cornerback for the Buckeyes, returned for his senior season even when he could have been a high NFL draft pick. The wait has paid off, and even playing with a broken hand he has been a leader for a Silver Bullet-caliber defense that makes opposing wide receivers look clueless.
Wide receivers K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack have helped form Zone Six into one of the most formidable receivers units in the country and have made the adjustment for transfer QB Justin Fields a smooth ride.
In just one season at Ohio State, Rutgers transfer Jonah Jackson has added to an offensive line that has given Fields the time he needs to find open receivers and running room for J.K. Dobbins.
Fellow senior offensive lineman Branden Bowen overcame his own adversity after suffering a broken leg in 2017. He returned for this season and will have one last battle in the trenches at the ‘Shoe.
On the other side of the trenches, defensive linemen Jashon Cornell, Davon Hamilton, Robert Landers and Jonathon Cooper will each play their final game in Columbus on Saturday. Each of these four have exemplified the improvement made by the Buckeyes’ defense since last year and will have one last chance to break through the opposing offensive line at the ‘Shoe.
At linebacker, Malik Harrison broke onto the scene in 2018 and carried that into this year, leading the Ohio State defense in tackles (52). He has been a key leader of a defense that has gone from mediocre to one of the best in the nation.
Second in tackles for the Buckeyes in 2019 is Jordan Fuller, who as a safety has been a brick wall that has limited opposing offenses to very few plays of 20+ yards, contrary to 2018.
Not every senior has racked up 182 career tackles (Harrison), piled up 1000+ yards receiving (Hill and Victor) or played to a standard worthy of being an NFL draft pick. But each player is important in helping Ohio State to be the best they can be week-in and week-out.
Whether it’s challenging the starters in practice, being a vocal leader, or making a key tackle on special teams, each senior deserves the recognition and will receive such tomorrow in the ‘Shoe.
To seniors like Chris Chugunov and Justin Hilliard, who have seen extra playing time this season as the Buckeyes average a 41-point margin of victory, Buckeye Nation thanks you for all that you have done to make this senior class so special.
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104,944 fans clad in Scarlet & Gray will be in person Saturday to celebrate not only a win over Penn State (hopefully), but also these seniors that represent Ohio State football to a dotted “I”.