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Ohio State Football: 2020 Buckeye Team Awards

By Frank Teriaca

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 07: Head coach Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after winning the Big Ten Championship against the Wisconsin Badgers at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 07, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 07: Head coach Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after winning the Big Ten Championship against the Wisconsin Badgers at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 07, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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Now that the Ohio State football team’s regular season is officially over let’s go over some of the bright spots of the season.

The Ohio State football team finished its regular season 5-0. A weird regular season comes to an end with the third cancellation of Ohio State’s season with the Michigan game getting axed. As the Scarlet and Grey get ready to play Northwestern next week in the Big Ten Championship, let’s go over some regular-season awards for the Buckeyes.

Best Coaching Job: Al Washington, Linebackers

Second-year Ohio State assistant Al Washington has done a phenomenal job in taking arguably the Buckeyes worst unit in 2018 and turning them into its best unit in 2020. Tuf Borland, Baron Browning, Pete Werner, and Justin Hilliard have been the heartbeat of Ohio State’s defense in 2020 and all have gotten better under Washington’s guidance.

Not only has Washington been getting his players coached up to a top-level but he has also been recruiting with the best of them. Grabbing four-star and No. 84 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class, Reid Carrico, was a great get for the Buckeyes.

But it’s what Washington has done in the 2022 cycle that has everybody in Ohio State’s program buzzing. He has secured verbal commitments from three of the top 55 nationally ranked players in linebackers Gabe Powers, CJ Hicks, and Dasan McCullough.

If Washington keeps this up, he will be running a program of his own sooner rather than later.

Best True Freshman: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR

One of the many downfalls of this COVID shortened season has been the fact the Ohio State couldn’t develop their freshman and get them involved how they would like. Most true freshmen have not received an opportunity to contribute. But Jaxon Smith-Njigba has found a way.

His stats are not much. Six receptions for 19 yards and a touchdown. But Smith-Njigba has cracked the wide receiver rotation for coach Brian Hartline and that certainly says something about what the coaches think of him.

He also has been a regular contributor on special teams as Smith-Njigba has been on coverage teams and has even returned three punts. You can see the talent that this kid has, especially from his remarkable toe-tapping touchdown in the back of the end zone against Nebraska. The sky is the limit for him in the future.

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