Could Ohio State Edge Rusher Chase Young (+2500) Actually Win Heisman? He’s Finally on the Board
- For the first time, Ohio State’s Chase Young has Heisman odds
- No front-seven defensive player has ever won the award
- Young leads the NCAA with 13.5 sacks through seven games
No matter what happens, Chase Young deserves respect. After Saturday’s six-tackle, four-sack performance (plus two forced fumbles) against then-No. 13 Wisconsin, oddsmakers finally showed him some respect by adding him to the latest 2019 Heisman odds table.
2019 Heisman Trophy Odds
| Player | School | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow (quarterback) | LSU | -125 |
| Jalen Hurts (quarterback) | Oklahoma | +225 |
| Tua Tagovailoa (quarterback) | Alabama | +500 |
| Justin Fields (quarterback) | Ohio State | +600 |
| Chase Young (defensive end) | Ohio State | +2500 |
Odds taken October 28th
Still, as you can see, the odds are very much stacked against him. A major part of that is positional bias — no defensive lineman or linebacker has ever won the award, which has been handed out since 1935.
Time to put Chase Young at the top of your Heisman rankings 🤭
Matchup NIGHTMARE.
(via @CFBONFOX)pic.twitter.com/hA3LJZTJRf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 26, 2019
No one doubts Young’s talent, which should make him a top pick at the NFL Draft in April. Amid a historic season, is he worth a flier on an award that has historically neglected his position?
No Offense, But The Heisman Belongs To Ball Carriers
Notice anything about the other players listed on the Heisman odds table? They’re all quarterbacks. That’s not a surprise, as eight of the past nine winners have been signal callers.
The larger trend is that every Heisman Trophy-winner has contributed to his team on the offensive side of the ball. Even defensive back Charles Woodson (1997), the only award winner listed with a defensive position, made his mark as a punt returner and received 14 rushing/receiving touches.
Ohio St. should give Chase Young a carry at RB so he becomes eligible for the Heisman.
— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) October 26, 2019
Chase Young is listed at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds. In other words, he isn’t going to become Ohio State’s punt returner or factor into the team’s speedy offensive scheme.
If he’s going to win the award, he’ll have to make history. He’ll also have to outdo the only other defensive lineman who came close to winning, Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh.
The Suh Comparison
In 2009, Suh was an absolute bulldozer up front for Nebraska. In 14 games, he finished with 85 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and an interception.
Ten years later, here’s what Young has done through seven games: 29 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. That’s pretty close to par with Suh, and Young has at least six more games (though likely seven or eight more) to pad those numbers.
CHASE YOUNG IS THE BEST PLAYER IN AMERICA pic.twitter.com/BDF5U6qJaj
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) October 27, 2019
On top of that, Young is on pace to record 25 sacks, which would break Terrell Suggs’ 24-sack single-season record set back in 2002. Then again, Suggs didn’t finish in the top 10 in Heisman voting that year.
A lot of people angry about me hating on the Heisman award. Here is why I think it’s garbage. In 2002 Terrell Suggs lead the nation in Sacks, 24, tackles for loss, 31.5 & forced fumbles 6 and wasn’t a top 10 finalist. The award is a joke
— Mark Schlereth (@markschlereth) December 29, 2017
Split Votes, Plus Burrow
Positional bias aside, Young isn’t even the top Heisman candidate on his own team. That distinction belongs to quarterback Justin Fields, who is third in the NCAA in points responsible for (198).
The Buckeyes answer!
Justin Fields runs it in to put @OhioStateFB up 17-7. pic.twitter.com/owA4YzpcUE
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 26, 2019
Young’s season, at least on its current trajectory, is more remarkable and award-worthy than that. But Fields and Young are both key players in Ohio State’s 8-0 start, so they are likely to split some votes as a result.
LSU’s Joe Burrow is the front-runner for a reason. He has led LSU to the No. 1 ranking, with three wins over top-10 opponents. The award is his to lose, especially if he takes care of No. 2 Alabama in a couple weeks.
Decision Time
Young needs to maintain his historically torrid pace to have a shot. Even then, Burrow has the inside track. But if Burrow loses to Alabama (and if he looks particularly unimpressive in the process), Young may be worth revisiting.
Jordan Horrobin is a sports journalist whose MLB, NHL, NFL and NCAA work has appeared in outlets such as The Athletic, MLB.com, the Detroit Free Press and more. He is currently based in Toronto, also working as a contributor for Forbes.com and a freelance editor for Sportsnet.
