The weekly honors continued to roll in Tuesday for sophomore defensive end Chase Young, who was named Bednarik Player of the Week after he helped Ohio State past Penn State 27-26 last Saturday.
Young’s six tackles (three for a loss of 11 yards), two sacks, two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups paved the way to his second award in the past two days after he shared Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
“He’s had a little bit of an ankle (injury), but he’s been playing through it,” head coach Urban Meyer said Monday. “You saw glimpses. He played outstanding Saturday. And that ceiling word again, he’s just a second-year player that’s playing very well. And he has unlimited potential.”
For the second time in the first five weeks of the season, an Ohio State defensive lineman has received recognition for the weekly Bednarik award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club.
After the 77-31 rout of Oregon State to open the season Sept. 1, junior defensive end Nick Bosa received the recognition with four tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Young (6-5, 265) started in place of Bosa the past two games — Sept. 29 at Penn State and Sept. 22 vs. Tulane — as the 6-4, 263-pounder recovers from Sept. 20 surgery on a core muscle.
In the fourth quarter of Ohio State’s come-from-behind victory against Penn State, Young sealed the game when he stepped up on fourth-and-5 with his 2-yard tackle for loss of Miles Sanders to force a turnover on downs as 1:16 remained.
“Love of the brotherhood, man,” Young told Big Ten Network after the game. “We made a choice to get after it and we did.
“It ain’t over. At the end of the day, you see my arm. I’m wearing No. 97 on my arm. I’m doing this for Nick, I’m doing this for (sophomore quarterback) Dwayne (Haskins) — for everybody. I’m trying to make a stop for my team and my defense. We played good today.”
