Everybody knows Joey Bosa is one of the best players in all of college football. He's so good he might be the first player taken in next year's NFL Draft. One could say he doesn't really need a whole lot of help - at much of anything.
But football may be just about the ultimate team sport. Even the best players need their teammates' support.
A lot of fans believe Joey's a shoe-in to break Mike Vrabel's OSU sack record this season. He didn't miss it by much last year. But he's also going to get a great deal of attention from opposing offenses as a returning consensus All American defensive end. He'll probably appreciate a little help from his friends.
Obviously, his fellow defenders can be of major assistance by playing well enough to keep him from constantly being double-teamed. Generally, he'll be playing right next to a potential All American in his own right, defensive tackle, Adolphus Washington. That should help. And there's a lot of excitement about some of the possibilities at the other defensive end spot - led by Tyquan Lewis.
Joey should have confidence in knowing the linebackers lining up behind him - and the defensive backs behind them are all excellent players, also. Naturally, all the other members of The Silver Bullets will have a direct impact on Joey's season.
Although their influence would certainly have to be considered to be more "indirect", The Slobs could play a large role in his season as well - especially when it comes to sacks.
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is that he'll be practicing against the best offensive line in college football practically every day. Going up against the likes of Taylor Decker on a regular basis would tend to keep one sharp.
But The Slobs' play on game day could be just as key to his sack total, if not more so. As Urban Meyer has said repeatedly: "This is an offensive line driven team". If they pick up where they left off last season, this line could "drive" the team to dizzying heights offensively in 2015.
And why wouldn't they pick up right where they left off? Four starters are returning and the fifth - Senior, Chase Farris, has (O-line guru) Ed Warriner's trust. Who's going to question that?
It shouldn't be too difficult for anyone who follows the Buckeyes to envision a Slob led offensive explosion. An offense that scores so early and often that opposing teams are forced in to passing situations very early in games because of the scoring deficits they'll be facing.
What would a defensive end like Joey Bosa enjoy more than rushing quarterbacks who he knows are gonna have to try to pass the ball? Pure, unadulterated pass rushing situations could increase dramatically this season.
And while it looks like the Buckeyes will have some depth at defensive end this year, the only prototypical SDE, will be Mr Bosa, himself. He could get plenty of snaps.
He'd probably be the first one to say he's much more concerned with improving his all around game. And that team goals like another B1G and National Championship are his first priority. But it's easy to see how he could smash the sack record, along the way.
He just better hope the Slobs don't pick up on their role in breaking that record and insist that he takes them to dinner -
