Eric Boggs
Caden Curry turned in one of the most dominant defensive performances in recent Ohio State history, and the nation took notice. Following the Buckeyes’ 24-6 win over Washington, the senior defensive end was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, the Chuck Bednarik Player of the Week and the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week. He also earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors, underscoring his place as one of the country’s top defenders.
Curry was nearly unstoppable, finishing with 11 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. His five tackles for loss tied the Ohio State single-game record and are the most by any player in college football this season. His 11 tackles were the most by a Buckeye defensive lineman since Cameron Heyward in 2009.
Sharing the spotlight was fellow lineman Kayden McDonald, who recorded seven tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. Together, the pair became the first Buckeyes to win a national defensive player of the week award since Davison Igbinosun’s honor against Penn State last season.
For Curry, the performance was about more than stats—it was about playing to Ohio State’s standard. “First and foremost, just seeing Ohio State fans out there,” Curry said after the game. “You saw a sea of red, and it was supposed to be a crazy atmosphere, and just seeing all of them was a great atmosphere to see. And I feel like we just took accountability of our actions today, and we just make the plays when the number’s called.”
Asked about tying the school record for tackles for loss, Curry was quick to give honor and praise to a higher power. “Honestly, it’s truly a blessing, and I just gotta thank the man upstairs for that,” he said.
The Buckeyes entered the matchup intent on containing Washington’s mobile quarterback, and Curry credited preparation as the key. “Honestly, just the way we practiced all week. We knew we were playing a great athlete and a great playmaker, so we knew we had to contain the quarterback, and we knew we had to do our job. And honestly, plays just come off of that. When you cage the pocket that well, he’s gonna come to you eventually.”
The win was another statement for a defense that feels overlooked despite its dominance. “I feel like our defensive line this year is just a bunch of no-names, and we just go out there, and we just try to ball, and we try to play as hard as we can,” Curry said. “We have so much to gain now, and we have so many players that just have an edge, and we have such a good defense that just wants to play and just keep playing.”
Through four games, Curry leads Ohio State with 25 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks, ranking among the nation’s best in both categories. McDonald has added 21 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble, giving the Buckeyes a disruptive duo that has helped set the tone for a team with championship aspirations.
As Curry put it, this defense loves the pressure of being the unit that wins games: “We love to do our job, and we love to do it at a high level, and we love to make plays when our numbers are called.”
For Ohio State fans, it’s clear—the Silver Bullets are back, and Caden Curry is leading the charge.
