Tag: J.K. Dobbins

Ohio State ends up with three of the top six in Heisman voting

When all the votes were tallied, Ohio State football had three of the top six players in the official Heisman voting.

By now you know that Joe Burrow won the 2019 Heisman Trophy in a landslide. You also know that Justin Fields and Chase Young were also somewhere in the top four because they were a part of the four invited to New York for the ceremony as finalists.

What we didn’t know is how close the votes were, and just where running back J.K. Dobbins landed in all the brouhaha across the country when the votes were tabulated.

Until now.

Many have shared the vote tallys and we can now see that the Buckeyes had three of the top six vote getters when it came to the official Heisman ballot counting for 2019. Thanks to Austin Ward of Lettermen Row for sharing the official results below.

Burrow won easily, and clustered together fairly closely were Jalen Hurts of Oklahoma in 2nd place, Justin Fields in 3rd place, then Chase Young in 4th overall. But scroll down two more and you see Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, followed by Dobbins in 6th place.

That makes three of the top six in Heisman voting when all is said and done that are Ohio State players. And yeah, if you want to add in Joe Burrow who got his baseline development from Ryan Day at OSU and is technically a gradate of The Ohio State University, that’s not a bad day at all for the program.

Now, let’s focus on this whole College Playoff thing shall we?

Five Ohio State players named to Walter Camp All-American Team

Ohio State landed a nation-leading five players on the Walter Camp All-American teams.

Ohio State players may be missing out on some of the bigger awards as college football parades its annual circuit of trophies and recognition around the country, but there sure has been no shortage of Buckeye players in the running.

And as it relates to All-American and All-Big Ten teams, OSU has had its fair share of players get recognized. We’ve already seen a slew of Buckeye players make the Big Ten’s list of All-Conference performers, and now we’ve got more on a national scale.

That’s right. Several Ohio State players have landed on the prestigious Walter Camp All-American teams.

Defensive end Chase Young added to his already impressive list of notoriety and awards by being named to the First Team along with cornerback Jeff Okudah. But three more players also made the Second Team which is also nothing to sneeze at.

Quarterback Justin Fields, running back J.K. Dobbins, and right guard Wyatt Davis all made the second team. That gives OSU five Walter Camp All-American selections which leads all programs including the likes of those that like to drink sweet tea and eat grits and crawfish.

Congratulations to these five. And remember, a First Team selection gets Young and Okudah a tree in Buckeye Grove.

Can JK Dobbins hit 2000 rushing yards on the season?

Ohio State RB J.K. Dobbins has had one whale of a year. There’s one milestone that’s still attainable that would put him in rare company.

Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins has had himself one whale of a year. As of right now, he is second on the all-time career list for total career yards, and yards in a single year. But is it a legitimate reality that Dobbins could break the 2,000-yard threshold this season?

Let’s dive into the numbers.

As of right now, JK Dobbins has 1,829 yards on the season, which means he could hit the mark in one game if he has a game for the ages in the Fiesta Bowl. But if Ohio State was to make it to the national championship game, he would be almost a shoe-in.

The mind-blowing reality is that Dobbins has done all this without rushing in the second half of four games. Imagine if he played four quarters of every game. He would have likely already eclipsed the 2,000 yard mark for the year.

If Dobbins were to break the 2,000 yard mark he would be the first player in Ohio State history to rush for that many yards in a season. It is noted he would also have played in more games in a season to attain that mark.

No matter what happens though, Dobbins will forever leave a great legacy at Ohio State, it just might be a little sweeter with a win over Clemson in the desert night on December 28.

J.K. Dobbins and Jeff Okudah agree, this Ohio State team is special

After come-from-behind win to seal the Big Ten Title Game, both Jeff Okudah and J.K. Dobbins agree; this may be the best buckeyes team yet.

When looking at all-time great teams in Ohio State history, it’s hard to look past this 2019 squad. While there were tremendously talented teams back earlier in the decade, this team’s resume speaks for itself.

A dominant win over Michigan in Ann Arbor, a come-from-behind victory to clinch the Big Ten Title, and a perfect 13-0 record are what they’ll take into the College Football Playoff.

But, the resounding theme is that this journey is far from over.

However, there’s no denying the talent on this team, and a few upperclassmen think this team could be the best one they’ve been on.

“For me, yeah, it is. It’s a really big part of this journey,” said Jeff Okudah following the team’s 34-21 victory over Wisconsin. The junior is the team’s best cornerback and easily the most-coveted NFL prospect among secondary players in the country.

He’s been a leader on this roster for three years and has turned in performances that have allowed it to maintain that unblemished record. But, he wasn’t the only one that had something to say on this Buckeye team.

J.K. Dobbins, who arguably should have received both the conference’s best running back award and the title game MVP, also believes this may be the best team he’s been on in his three years in Columbus.

“Yeah, definitely,” Dobbins said when asked if this was the best Buckeyes’ team he’s played on. But, there’s still one central theme, and it’s that this is just the beginning.

But to be the best, the Buckeyes will need to beat the best. With a place in the December 28th Fiesta Bowl against the undefeated defending champion Clemson Tigers, they’ll have a shot to show everyone else what those on the team believe.

Then, if Ohio State can down LSU or Oklahoma, we’ll be talking about whether or not this is the best Buckeyes team in the program’s history.

Ohio State’s step-by-step journey to a 13-0 season

Ohio State ran its record to 13-0 with a victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship.

Ohio State has run the table through the first 13 games of its 2019 season. A look at how the Buckeyes kept their mark unblemished and demolished a series of opponents in the process.

Ohio State 45, FAU 21

Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Fields, who saw limited action as a freshman last season sitting behind Jake Fromm at Georgia, threw four touchdown passes and ran for a score in his first game for Ohio State, leading the fifth-ranked Buckeyes over Florida Atlantic. The Buckeyes score on their first four possessions, including a 51-yard run by Fields.

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Ohio State faces largest deficit of the season, down 21-7 at half to Wisconsin

Ohio State looked stagnant and faced their largest deficit of the season yet will enter halftime down just 14-7.

Ohio State has its work cut out for it against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Badgers came to play. Two things dominated the first half. Ohio State’s inability to get off the field on third and long, and the Buckeyes’ inability to solve the Wisconsin defense. Both of those led to Ohio State’s largest deficit of the season at the break.

Another interesting development is little mention of Chase Young. Any game without his impact on it may not turn out well for the nation’s best team.

That said, here’s a rundown of how the half went for Ohio State.

To start, Wisconsin won the coin toss and chose to receive, wanting to blast Ohio State in the mouth early knowing that Ohio State would return the fair. Well, the Badgers did just that.

They, after a pair of first downs, gave the ball to Jonathan Taylor for a 44-yard touchdown. They went five plays and under three minutes to take a quick 7-0 lead.

Then, the mighty Ohio State offense took the field for the first time. Sadly, the Buckeyes didn’t succeed on a fourth and 7 after driving for a few first downs. It was justified attempt though as a field goal at that point would’ve been at least a 50-yarder.

Wisconsin punted on their next drive, pinning Ohio State within its own ten yard line.

J.K. Dobbins quickly changed that and then Austin Mack made his presence felt with a stellar 34-yard gain. Ohio State’s second drive started off well yet a third and ten stalled another drive as Fields was pressed and sacked out of field goal range.

With the clock under two minutes in the first and the Badgers up seven, Ohio State punted for a touchback. The quarter ended 7-0 with Wisconsin on its own 41.

Wisconsin continued to march down the field, completing a difficult third and long en route to entering Ohio State territory yet again. A missed Jonathan Taylor third down set up a fourth and five which Wisconsin converted on.

Jack Coan then ran in a 14-yard touchdown to extend Wisconsin’s lead to 14. It certainly wasn’t the first 21 minutes that Ohio State had dreamed up as it saw itself in the largest deficit of the season early in the second.

That said, early in the second, Taylor, a potential first-round, did surpass 6,000 career yards.

Ohio State got the ball back with around ten minutes left in the half. After three pitiful attempts, Ohio State faked a punt and was able to pick up a first down where the offense finally started to gain some steam.

Two 20-plus yard gains put Ohio State on 1st and goal. Justin Fields eventually fumbled, something Ohio State has had a clear problem with this season. With under four minutes left though, the Buckeyes were able to get the ball back.

Ohio State drove, with a few third-down conversions, and put points on the board before half. But just when you thought it had some momentum going headed to the locker room with under one minute in the half, Jonathan Taylor ripped off a big run. Then Wisconsin had another big play through the air and scored a TD just before half to go up 21-7.

The Buckeyes are now left looking for answers and will need to make some adjustments to find a way to win this one. Ohio State is in serious jeopardy of losing its grip on what has been a fantastic season.

Texans should look into the Big 10 Championship to find a future RB

Saturday’s Big 10 Championship features running backs Jonathan Taylor and J.K. Dobbins. If they need a running back, the Houston Texans should watch.

The Houston Texans have gotten production out of their rushing new duo of Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. Both in their first years in Houston, Hyde has run for 853 yards and four touchdowns on 4.6 yards per attempt. Johnson has acted as a complementary back, tallying 679 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns on 6.5 yards per touch.

Based on production alone, the Texans should be happy with their running back position.

However, Hyde is a free agent at the end of the season. Though a revelation for the Texans’ offense, signing the 29-year-old to a new deal could make the Bill O’Brien-led front office pause. Johnson is under contract, but he has yet to play a lead-back role in the NFL.

Queue the 2020 NFL Draft. Specifically, queue Jonathan Taylor and J.K. Dobbins.

On Saturday, Taylor and Dobbins will meet each other for the second time of the 2019 college football season, in a matchup between Taylor’s No. 8-ranked Wisconsin Badgers and Dobbins’ No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The game: the Big 10 Championship.

The Texans should have their eyes peeled for multiple reasons — each team boasts an array of prospects. However, they should key-in on both Taylor and Dobbins, as each is draft eligible. If Houston is looking for a running back, either of the two will suit their needs with their second-round pick; if, of course, they slip to the second.

Let’s take a gander at each.

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Ohio State football: The three key players needed in the postseason

Ohio State has made it this far on the backs of three dynamic players. It’ll need those three to still come up big in the postseason.

Ohio State beat Michigan to continue its dominance against that team up north. It finished an undefeated regular season and now has a chance to win consecutive Big Ten Championships. Is it realistic that this could end in a picturesque season? Imagine Ryan Day hoisting the trophy alongside Dobbins, Fields, and Young. Here are three reasons why Ohio State could win it all this year which boils down to the three best players on Ohio State’s team. 

JK Dobbins

On the offensive side, it comes down to the ability to run the ball to open up the passing game. With Dobbins being one of only two players in Ohio State history to run for the 4,000 yards during his career, he’s been a beast. In fact, based on history, when Dobbins runs for two touchdowns and 140 yards, the Buckeyes normally win. 

While he’s been an unstoppable force in almost every game this year, it will be critical that he continues to eat up the defense with his rushing ability to create passing opportunities for Justin Fields and the passing game.

Chase Young

Young has lived up to expectations this year. So much so that he’s in the conversation for the Heisman as a defensive player. With his ability to pressure the quarterback, it has limited the time and space opposing quarterbacks have had. In the Michigan game, he didn’t statistically show out, but a lot of it factored into him being constantly double and tripled teamed. But he still took on multiple players, which allowed for others along the D-line to get into the backfield. 

Coming down the stretch, if Chase Young continues his dominance and continues to be a game-wrecker in the backfield it’ll allow OSU to slow down teams like LSU and Clemson since they have mobile quarterbacks.

Justin Fields 

At the helm of it all is Justin Fields. He has more than met expectations after the departure of Dwayne Haskins last season. So far this year Justin Fields has been incredible with his decision making with just one interception all year. He does have a tendency to hold onto the ball a little too long at times, but that’s just nitpicking at this point.

His ability to continue and make plays with a bum leg bears watching, but he’s been a warrior so far. For Ohio State to meet its ultimate goal of winning a national championship, he has to still provide that threat on the ground.

So far Field’s youth has not been in question and he has handled the big stage incredibly well. It will be interesting to see how the end of the season finishes. Maybe, just maybe, it will end with Ohio State hoisting a large trophy in New Orleans.

Ohio State has a strong argument for 3 2019 Heisman Trophy finalists

Justin Fields, J.K. Dobbins and Chase Young could all end up as Heisman finalists.

Most college football teams are lucky if they have one Heisman Trophy candidate on their roster. Ohio State has three, which is undoubtedly one of the many reasons the Buckeyes have been No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings in three of the last five weeks.

Quarterback Justin Fields, running back J.K. Dobbins and defensive end Chase Young are all outstanding players. The Heisman field is a bit crowded this season — despite LSU quarterback Joe Burrow being the clear favorite in the second half of the season — but these three players have strong arguments to be finalists.

So when Monday’s voting deadline comes around, maybe we’ll see five or even six finalists invited to the December 14 ceremony in New York.

Regardless, Ohio State is understandably vocal about its three players in the running and released its “Heismen” campaign Tuesday on Twitter. And their cases are pretty compelling.

Although he’s not up there with Burrow’s nation-leading 78.3 completion percentage — although, no one is — Fields is still having an incredible season worthy of Heisman consideration. With a 68.2 completion percentage, the sophomore quarterback has thrown for 2,654 yards and the third-most touchdowns so far with 37. He also has just one interception and had added 10 rushing touchdowns to his resume.

However, the double-edged sword for Fields is that he’s not carrying the Buckeyes’ top-5 offense alone with Dobbins out there too. The junior running back is ranked fourth nationally with 1,657 rushing yards and is tied for fifth with 19 touchdowns. Most recently, he had a stellar performance against Michigan in Week 14, finishing with four touchdowns for the first time in his career while breaking the 200-yard mark.

And then there’s Young, who is unquestionably the most dominant defensive player in the country and should terrify every opposing quarterback. The junior defensive end is disruptive, athletic and fast, and he’s a huge reason why Ohio State is ranked No. 2 in passing defense and No. 4 in rushing defense. Young leads the nation with 16.5 sacks this season, despite missing two games because of an NCAA suspension, and has 38 total tackles.

But the Heisman winner is almost always on offense, so that’s his disadvantage. Former Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson remains the only player to win the Heisman, which he did in 1997.

In addition to LSU’s Burrow, Fields, Dobbins and Young are up against Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts and Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who could still be a finalist despite suffering a season-ending injury in Week 12 against Mississippi State.

The best the Buckeyes’ trio and fans can hope for is that there is a small enough margin in the voting that all three are finalists and invited to the ceremony in New York. And this year, that’s not really much of a reach.

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Ohio State head coach Ryan Day believes Ohio State should have three Heisman candidates

Ohio State University’s head coach Ryan Day believes his Buckeyes have three Heisman Trophy candidates.

The Ohio State football team is 12-0, and it has been largely been due to the Buckeyes’ first-year head coach Ryan Day. He has figured out how to thrive with one of the most talented teams in the nation.

One of just three teams to enter the conference championship weekend undefeated, the Buckeyes have been dominant, crushing most teams en route to clinching the Big Ten East a week early.

Although Day has constructed most of the team’s quintessential gameplans, they’ve executed them behind three players that could all be considered finalists for the Heisman Trophy.

And Day is drinking his own Kool-Aid, also believing he has three players that deserve to be in New York for the ceremony.

Chase Young, Justin Fields, and J.K. Dobbins are the three. That trio involves one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks, the nation’s best defender and arguably the best running back in college football.

Young, with potentially three games remaining, already has the most sacks in a single season in Ohio State history this season — all while missing two because of a suspension.

As for Dobbins, he’s broken into the university’s top-two in all-time rushing yards while not even seeing the bulk of the second-half carries in what feels like the majority of Ohio State’s games.

Lastly, Fields has been the engine that’s created such a dynamic Ohio State offense.

In his sophomore season, Fields has 37 passing touchdowns and ONE interception. Tack on almost 2,700 passing yards, 470 rushing yards and ten more rushing touchdowns, and Fields has seemingly made every big play when it’s mattered most.

Fields and Dobbins put up four touchdowns each against Michigan. It wasn’t just this past Saturday that they’ve been atop their game, the dynamic duo has been running the Big Ten all season.

Had Ohio State been in more four-quarter games, we could be talking about any of these three as Heisman favorites. Sadly, it seems LSU’s Joe Burrow is running away with the award.

Still, getting at least two from Ohio State to make the trip to New York would be special.