COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa was not in State College (Pa.) as the Buckeyes defeated Penn State after a furious 4th quarter comeback and ensuing defensive stop physically, but he was there in the hearts and minds of his teammates as Ohio State moved to 5-0 on the season and took a major step forward in the Big Ten East race.
Fellow defensive end Chase Young honored Bosa by wearing a number 97 on his taped-up wrist. It must have worked as Young had his best game as a member of the Buckeyes with six tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, two QB hurries and two passes broken up. Plus, Young made the final play on defense, hauling Miles Sanders to the turf on the final 4th-down play to end Penn State's chances of getting into field goal range for a chance to win it in the final minute.
"It is all love," Young said on Tuesday. "At the end of the day, I played that game for him and it is a brotherhood and he expects that. We are just tight-knit, we are that close."
Bosa is out after a core muscle injury that required surgery after the win in Arlington (Texas) against TCU. Bosa will miss significant time but there is the chance he could be back in the month of November, but nobody is quite sure as Bosa is on the mend.
He was at Ohio State's Tuesday practice and his presence is valuable to the Buckeyes.
"He got back in town last Friday," defensive line coach Larry Johnson said of Bosa's return to rejoin the team post-surgery.
What does Bosa bring to the team, even in this role?
"They listen to Nick," Johnson continued. "He is watching, (Tuesday) he walked around and just talked to guys. I think that is the best thing he can do. Continue to encourage. He can see some things that I can't see watching guys. I think they believe in him. When he talks, guys listen."
Young is one of several players who has stepped up in Bosa's absence, but with a 'Next Man Up' mentality around the program, nobody had to ask him to do more, he knew that is what was expected of him and what he expected of himself.
"We have one down and it changed everyone on the unit's mindset, we had Nick down, best player in College Football, so we all had to step it up," Young said.
Even under better circumstances, Young is always trying to learn from Bosa.
"That is my guy," Young continued. "I look at Nick, I study Nick's tape and get little things that he does that I can add to my game. I look up to Nick and he is my big (brother). I had to honor him, he is my guy."
Since Bosa's departure, the Buckeyes are 2-0 with wins over Tulane and at Penn State. Ohio State has game against Indiana, Minnesota and Purdue to finish out the month before a November that has games against Michigan State and Michigan (along with Maryland and Nebraska).
"We knew he was out two weeks ago and it is next man up," Johnson said. "There are some things that we had to do as a unit to make sure it happens. I was really pleased that we played well as a unit, we will continue to do that."
And when November rolls around and it is time to start discussing what Nick's future may be? There is little doubt that he is a top-five pick in the upcoming NFL Draft but he has also expressed a strong desire to finish out the season when he is medically cleared. There will be a lot of conversations that will take place once everyone reaches that point but it is obvious who will be driving that decision-making process.
"I am going to listen to the father and the mom," Johnson said. "We are going to talk somewhere down the road. Right now, I am going to let them make the decision on what to do. I am just here listening and giving my opinion. I am not going to be the guy to make the decision."
Obviously, the Buckeyes would love to have him back for a stretch run but not at any sort of risk for Bosa's future. There will be plenty of time for those conversations later, there is just one thing that is on the minds of everyone involved.
"We just want him to get healthy, and that is the biggest thing right now," Johnson concluded.
