Ohio State’s run to its first nationwide championship in a decade enabled the Buckeyes to dominate the Related Press’ All-Faculty Soccer Playoff staff.
Since solely 4 groups really gained any playoff video games this season – Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas and Penn State – all however one of many gamers on the all-playoff staff come from these 4 faculties.
As a result of some defenses function in 4-3 schemes, others use a 3-4 and nonetheless others go together with a base nickel protection, the AP lined all bases by having a protection with 4 linemen, 4 linebackers and 5 defensive backs.
With that, here’s a take a look at this yr’s AP All-Faculty Soccer Playoff staff:
QB Will Howard, Ohio State
Howard accomplished greater than 75% of his passes for 1,150 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions in 4 playoff video games. He was named the offensive most valuable player of the championship recreation after going 17 of 21 for 231 yards with two touchdowns and speeding for 57 yards on 16 carries in a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame.
RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Henderson had two touchdowns in every of Ohio State’s first two playoff victories after which caught a move properly behind the road of scrimmage and turned it right into a 75-yard rating within the Buckeyes’ 28-14 Cotton Bowl triumph over Texas. He completed the playoff with 36 carries for 265 yards and 4 touchdowns, plus eight catches for 149 yards and one landing.
RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
Earlier than the championship recreation, the all-playoff staff figured to incorporate considered one of Penn State’s two excellent operating backs — Nicholas Singleton or Kaytron Allen — to pair with Henderson. However Judkins compelled his approach onto the staff along with his excellent efficiency towards Notre Dame. He ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries whereas additionally catching two passes for 21 yards and a landing. Judkins completed the playoffs with 255 yards speeding and 7 whole touchdowns (6 speeding, 1 receiving).
WR Matthew Golden, Texas
Texas was getting ready to playoff elimination earlier than Golden made a 28-yard landing catch on a fourth-and-13 additional time play in a 39-31 Peach Bowl quarterfinal victory over Arizona State. He totaled 11 receptions for 249 yards to go together with that landing in three playoff video games. That included seven receptions for 149 yards towards Arizona State.
WR Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame
Greathouse totaled simply 359 yards receiving over Notre Dame’s first 14 video games earlier than going over the 100-yard mark in every of the Combating Irish’s final two contests. He caught seven passes for 105 yards and had a tying 54-yard landing with 4:38 left in Notre Dame’s 27-24 Orange Bowl victory over Penn State. He then had six receptions for 128 yards — together with touchdowns of 34 and 30 yards — to spark Notre Dame’s rally within the championship recreation.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
This Related Press All-America second-team choice capped his sensational freshman season by catching 19 passes for 381 yards and 5 touchdowns in 4 playoff video games. He scored twice in a 42-17 first-round victory over Tennessee and adopted that up by having seven receptions for 187 yards and two extra scores in a 41-21 Rose Bowl rout of beforehand unbeaten Oregon. Smith caught 5 passes for 88 yards and a landing towards Notre Dame, and his 56-yard catch on a third-and-11 play arrange a clinching discipline purpose.
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
The winner of the John Mackey Award as school soccer’s high tight finish scored two touchdowns in Penn State’s 31-14 Fiesta Bowl victory over Boise State. Though Penn State acquired no catches from its wideouts within the Orange Bowl, Warren juiced the Nittany Lions’ offense by catching six passes for 74 yards and operating for 21 yards on two carries. He totaled 16 receptions for 171 yards and three carries for 27 yards in three playoff video games.
All-purpose Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
Skattebo, an AP All-America first-team operating again, sparked Arizona State’s Peach Bowl comeback by speeding for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, catching eight passes for 99 yards and even throwing a 42-yard landing move.
OL Kelvin Banks, Texas
Banks, an AP All-America first-team sort out, allowed one quarterback hurry and no sacks in Texas’ three playoff video games, in response to Professional Soccer Focus. He had an general PFF blocking score of over 75 in a 38-24 first-round victory over Clemson and towards Ohio State. He had an 86.4 pass-blocking score within the semifinal loss to the Buckeyes.
OL Carson Hinzman, Ohio State
After taking part in heart in 2023, Hinzman moved to left guard this season to make room for Alabama switch Seth McLaughlin. However after McLaughlin injured his Achilles tendon in November, Hinzman moved again to heart and helped open up loads of holes for Henderson and Judkins all through the playoffs.
OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
Jackson made the AP All-America staff as a second-team guard, however he moved to left sort out when Josh Simmons suffered a season-ending knee harm in October. He didn’t permit a single sack in any of Ohio State’s 4 playoff video games, in response to PFF.
OL Nolan Rucci, Penn State
Penn State’s left sort out allowed no sacks and only one quarterback hurry in three playoff video games, in response to Professional Soccer Focus. PFF graded Rucci out at over 70 general in every of Penn State’s playoff video games.
OL Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame
This proper sort out supplied stability for a Notre Dame offensive line that handled a number of accidents throughout this playoff run. He allowed only one sack in 4 playoff video games, in response to PFF.
DL Abdul Carter, Penn State
Carter, an AP All-America first-team choice and the AP Massive Ten defensive participant of the yr, injured his shoulder towards Boise State however returned for the semifinal and picked up 5 tackles and a sack towards Notre Dame whereas taking part in harm. He additionally had three tackles and a sack towards SMU.
DL Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Dennis-Sutton totaled 4.5 sacks in Penn State’s three playoff video games. He collected two sacks and compelled a fumble towards Notre Dame, delivered one sack towards Boise State and had 1.5 towards SMU.
DL Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
Sawyer delivered one of the memorable highlights of this playoff by getting a strip sack and returning the fumble 83 yards for a clinching landing towards Texas. He additionally had two sacks towards Oregon and 1.5 towards Tennessee.
DL JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Tuimoloau totaled 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in Ohio State’s 4 playoff video games. He had two sacks every towards Tennessee and Oregon, 1.5 towards Texas and one towards Notre Dame.
LB Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame
Bowen had eight tackles in every of Notre Dame’s final two video games, and he additionally compelled a fumble towards Ohio State. He had 1.5 tackles for loss in Notre Dame’s 27-17 first-round victory over Indiana and had six whole tackles and half a sort out for loss within the Irish’s 23-10 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia.
LB Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s sixth-year senior linebacker collected six tackles and a sack and compelled a fumble towards Georgia. He adopted that up by recording a team-high 10 tackles towards Penn State.
LB Cody Simon, Ohio State
Simon totaled 38 tackles in Ohio State’s 4 playoff video games. He had 12 tackles within the first-round win over Tennessee and had 11 tackles plus two sacks towards Oregon.
LB Sonny Types, Ohio State
Types had 9 tackles — three for loss — plus a sack and a compelled fumble towards Texas. He additionally recorded a sack towards Notre Dame.
DB Jahdae Barron, Texas
Barron, an AP All-America first-team cornerback, assisted within the protection scheme that restricted Smith to 1 catch for 3 yards in Texas’ semifinal loss to Ohio State. He had 11 tackles towards Arizona State. He broke up two passes towards Clemson and had a 78.5 general score from PFF for that recreation.
DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State
This AP All-America first-team security solidified Ohio State’s secondary all through the postseason. His interception with lower than two minutes left thwarted Texas’ final comeback hopes within the Cotton Bowl semifinal.
DB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
This freshman stepped right into a featured function following a season-ending harm to AP All-America preseason second-team choice Benjamin Morrison and developed into Notre Dame’s greatest cornerback. PFF gave him general defensive rankings of 76.4 towards Indiana and 78.5 towards Georgia.
DB Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Watts, an AP All-America first-team security, made an interception within the pink zone that prevented Indiana from taking an early lead in Notre Dame’s first-round playoff recreation. PFF rated him at 70 or larger in three of Notre Dame’s 4 playoff contests.
DB Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Wheatley had two playoff interceptions — one towards Boise State and one other towards Notre Dame. He collected 16 tackles and a sack within the Notre Dame recreation. He made seven tackles and broke up a move towards SMU.
Okay Mitch Jeter, Notre Dame
Jeter had a 27-yard field-goal try bounce off the left upright within the fourth quarter of the championship recreation, however he additionally helped Notre Dame get to that time by making a tiebreaking 41-yarder with seven seconds left within the Orange Bowl. Jeter went 7-of-9 on field-goal makes an attempt within the playoffs, together with 6-of-6 from 40-49 yards out.
P James Rendell, Notre Dame
Rendell’s 41.5 playoff punting common won’t appear notably spectacular on the floor, however he landed seven of his 13 punts contained in the opponent’s 20-yard line and didn’t have a single touchback.
KR Jayden Harrison, Notre Dame
Harrison’s 98-yard landing return of the second-half kickoff within the Sugar Bowl was the perfect return for anybody on this playoff.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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