After downing two of his three punts inside the 10-yard line in Ohio State's 42-0 win over Cincinnati on Saturday, redshirt junior punter Drue Chrisman has been named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
The #B1GFootball Special Teams Player of the Week is @OhioStateFB P Drue Chrisman, who dropped two of his three punts inside the Cincinnati 5-yard line in Ohio States victory over the Bearcats. pic.twitter.com/KxkoiMOAQR
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 9, 2019
Chrisman helped Ohio State control the field-position battle from the beginning of Saturday's game, downing a punt at the 1-yard line after the Buckeyes' first drive of the game was stalled by a holding penalty against Jonah Jackson. The Cincinnati native's second punt of the game was downed at the 8-yard line (and pinned the Bearcats at the 4-yard line thanks to a holding penalty). Chrisman's third and final punt of the game went 45 yards into the end zone for a touchback.
For the season as a whole, Chrisman has placed four of his seven punts this year inside the opponent's 13-yard line and has averaged 43.4 yards per punt.
Saturday wasn't the first time that Chrisman delivered an award-worthy performance – most notably, Chrisman downed five punts inside the 6-yard line in Ohio State's 26-6 win over Michigan State last season – but Monday was the first time that his efforts were officially recognized with Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
