Ohio State Football: Making Heisman Trophy case for Chase Young

Larry Kelly, Yale, 1936 Heisman Trophy Winner
Leon Hart, Notre Dame, 1949 Heisman Trophy Winner

Both Larry Kelly of Yale and Leon Hart of Notre Dame are Heisman Trophy winners from yester-year. According to the awards records, they are listed as tight ends, but played along the defensive line playing in the era of one-platoon football. Until the 1970s, it was common for players to play “iron-man” football.

Even 1956 Heisman Trophy winner Paul Hornung played quarterback, defensive back, kicked and punted for the Irish during his time in South Bend.

With the advent of two-platoon football, just 24 defensive linemen have cracked the top 10 and since 1982.

Steve Emtman, a rock on Washington’s 1991 undefeated and no-national championship team, was the first defensive lineman to become a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Not only did he receive an invitation to the Downtown Athletic Club in New York, he also won 1990 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, the 1991 Outland Trophy, the 1991 Lombardi trophy, was Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year again in 1991 and was a consensus All-American in 1991. He ended his career with 14 sacks and 36 tackles for loss.

Warren Sapp changed the way the defensive tackle position is played with a simple idea, “up the middle is the quickest way to the quarterback.” Sapp was one of the first interior linemen known for his speed, athleticism and ability to rush the passer.

Most smaller interior linemen were sub package players used on passing downs. Sapp was one of the first “smallish” defensive linemen that played every down. While at Miami, Sapp was that 1994 Big East Defensive Player of the Year, 1994 Bronko Nagurski Award winner, 1994 Consensus All-American, and the 1994 Lombardi Award winner.

Sapp’s banner 1994 season ended with 84 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.

While at Nebraska, Ndamukong Suh was as close to unblockable as a defensive lineman could be. Suh was strong enough to break through double teams, and quick enough to beat a guard or center one-on-one.

A natural 3-technique defensive tackle, Suh was nimble enough to play end on passing downs. He is one of the few players in the history of college football that impacted every play defensively.

Suh had one of the most dominant seasons in college football history in 2009 with 85 total tackles, 12.5 sacks, 20.5 tackles for loss and an interception on his way to winning the 2009 AP Defensive player of the Year, 2009 Big 12 Player of the Year, 2009 Nagurski Award, 2009 Bednarik Award, 2009 Outland Trophy and the 2009 Lombardi Trophy along with being a Consensus All-American.

No shade to Mark Ingram who had a fantastic season, but Suh was the best player in college football that season and should have won the Heisman.