After Joey Bosa leveled Cincinnati quarterback Gunner Kiel to force a fumble that resulted in a safety last Saturday, the 6-foot-5, 278-pound sophomore defensive end headed over to the sideline and was visibly excited.
He turned to the video board at the south end of Ohio Stadium, saw the replay and let out a loud scream knowing he just made a play that changed the momentum of the game.
“I just made a move inside and my eyes got big and I ran as fast as I can and hit him as hard as I could,” Bosa said following Saturday's win. “I actually thought he got the ball off so I stood up and went to walk back to the line, but I saw the ball pop out. It was just exciting."
Game-changing plays have been a common theme for Bosa so far this season. He seems to make big plays whenever Ohio State needs one and it's part of the reason he's turned into one of the best defensive players not only in the Big Ten, but in all of college football.
Bosa's forced fumble against the Bearcats was already his third of the season. He forced one in Ohio State's season-opener against Navy that resulted in Darron Lee's 61-yard touchdown return and with Ohio State trailing 21-14 in the fourth quarter to Virginia Tech, Bosa forced a fumble that led to a game-tying touchdown. All three of his forced fumbles have led to points so far this year for the Buckeyes.
"He’s a freak," junior nickelback Armani Reeves said of Bosa on Monday. "He does things that some D-ends, you’re just like, ‘Wow.’ He’s a great player and when you see his hits like that, you’re looking at greatness. You’re watching greatness. He’s a great player and I’m just happy he’s on our side.”
That greatness was easy to see early on for Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, but even he was surprised at how quickly Bosa put his imprint on the Buckeyes' defense.
Last year as a freshman, Bosa recorded 44 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks and was named a freshman All-American by both the Sporting News and the Football Writers Association of America.
"I thought we'd have a guy that would be pretty much game-ready because he went to a really quality high school program," Meyer said during his Monday press conference. "I didn't imagine he'd be this ready. He's extremely strong and quick and relentless. And on top of that he loves and understands the game.”
Perhaps we all should have seen Bosa's dominance coming, though. He comes from a talented football family and played at St. Thomas Aquinas High School — one of the top high school football programs in the country. His father, John, was a first-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1987 and his uncle, Eric Kumerow, played linebacker for Ohio State from 1984-87.
The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native also has a younger brother, Nick, who is a high school junior and five-star prospect himself.
"He’s a guy that’s got the speed that’s able to get the edge, but he’s got the power to do some things inside. It’s an unbelievable combination," Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell said of Bosa. "I haven’t seen a whole lot of guys like it, but we’re still going to expect him to continue to grow. Joey’s got a lot of growth he can continue to do."
With all that he's accomplished already and not even halfway through his sophomore season, it's very possible Bosa could leave Ohio State as one of its best ever defensive linemen. He's already got Meyer thinking of a former Buckeye great, too.
“I think John Simon," Meyer said. "He's a little more talented than John, a little longer, but John Simon had that same—you watch those two play in practice and compete and there's a mindset. Everybody knows how we all feel about John Simon, but to even mention someone in that same vein, who is a few inches taller and a little longer, that's pretty rare air."
If that's the case — and it certainly looks to be at this point — Ohio State fans should enjoy Bosa's play while they still can.
"I just go out and try and play my best," Bosa said. "Try to do anything I can to help the team win."
