Ohio State's players of the game for its 59-7 win over Akron include a pair of true freshmen.
First-year defensive tackle Tyleik Williams earned defensive player of the game honors for his two-sack performance against the Zips, while freshman punter Jesse Mirco was named special teams player of the game for Saturday's win.
this guy pic.twitter.com/xVCyi1tepX
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 26, 2021
special on special teams pic.twitter.com/tqg2Yv0AQN
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 26, 2021
Williams earned the defensive player of the game award after leading the Buckeyes with six total tackles (four solo) against Akron and recording his second and third sacks of the year after notching his first career sack against Tulsa. The true freshman defensive tackle is quickly emerging as a top player in Ohio State's interior defensive line rotation and providing a key boost to the Buckeyes’ pass-rush.
Mirco earned the special teams award after averaging 46.3 yards per punt and downing two of his three punts inside the 20-yard line against Akron.
Ohio State's offensive player of the game honors for the Akron game were split by a pair of juniors, offensive tackle Dawand Jones and wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
dominant pic.twitter.com/8OVFwUvgiv
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 26, 2021
Jones was credited with five knockdown blocks against Akron, including one on which he knocked an Akron defensive back about five yards backward:
DAWAND JONES JUST ENDED THIS MAN pic.twitter.com/1ftiO6rVAx
— Jessi Davin (@jessithebuckeye) September 26, 2021
Wilson had four catches for a team-high 124 yards against Akron. 61 of those yards came after the catch, with most of those yards coming on a 57-yard screen pass that included a vicious stiff arm from the Buckeye wideout.
When you have a talent such as @GarrettWilson_V, you just give him the ball and let him do his thing.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 26, 2021
No. 10 @OhioStateFB knows this. pic.twitter.com/uc7IjzyF4X
