Bosa shrug becoming Buckeye tradition

Toledo Blade

COLUMBUS

It is the sack dance craze sweeping across Ohio.

Call it the Bosa shrug.

After each of his sacks this season, Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa has celebrated as only he can. The unbothered, electronic-music-rocking South Florida native extends his arms and shrugs, as if to say, “Did I do that?”

“It just happened,” said Bosa, who tweets photos shared by fans of their young children imitating the shrug. “I guess a bunch of people liked it, so I feel obliged to do it every time.”

Almost every time.

“At least once a game,” he told reporters. “If I get more than one a game, I have to do something else.”

It is no stretch to expect the unveiling of a new move Saturday night in Happy Valley.

Ohio State (5-1, 2-0 Big Ten) is a staggering 14-point favorite in no small part because of the battle between one of the 13th-ranked Buckeyes’ biggest strengths (defensive line) and Penn State’s biggest weakness (offensive line).

The Nittany Lions (4-2, 1-2) have never been a bigger home underdog since joining the Big Ten in 1993 — and possibly in the modern era.

Then again, Penn State has faced few scenarios more thankless, its overextended offensive line underscoring the program’s depth issues.

When the NCAA wielded its hammer in 2012 — leveling Penn State with unprecedented sanctions after an alleged cover-up in the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal — the Nittany Lions not only faced a four-year postseason ban but crushing scholarship restrictions.

Penn State lost 40 scholarships over the 2014, ‘15, ‘16, and ‘17 recruiting classes and could field just 65 scholarship players — 20 fewer than other FBS programs.

The penalties were overturned earlier this year, but a long climb back remains.

Penn State coach James Franklin will have only 46 scholarship players available Saturday, with the rest either injured or freshmen who are redshirting. No position was hit harder than the offensive line, which was so thin this preseason that two defensive linemen had to switch sides.

“We’ve got one scholarship offensive tackle in the senior, junior and sophomore class,” Franklin said this week. “That’s pretty unique and pretty unusual.”

And pretty bad news.

Quarterback Christian Hackenberg still has the look of a star, leading the Big Ten in passing yards per game (272.8). But operating behind a line of four first-year starters — including two freshmen — he is under near-eternal siege.

The sophomore has thrown more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (five) and been sacked 20 times, including six times in Penn State’s 18-13 loss to Michigan on Oct. 11.

In all, the Nittany Lions have scored 32 points in their three Big Ten games. Their league-worst rushing offense is 121st nationally (93.2 yards per game).

Franklin said his staff used their open week to simplify the offense, including the line protections. How much the front improves will likely determine if Penn State’s sold-out crowd sticks around for the second half.

“Regardless of who you’re playing, the [defensive line] is where everything starts,” OSU coach Urban Meyer said. “It is the essence of good defense.”

So far, though Meyer hopes to develop more depth, the line has done its job. That includes Bosa, who leads the Big Ten with nine tackles for a loss and has 51/2 of the Buckeyes’ 16 sacks.

Meyer has just one problem with his sophomore star.

The shrug.

After Bosa had a sack at Maryland, Meyer warned him he could get a penalty for showboating.

“I apparently held it too long, because coach got on me a little bit,” Bosa said. “I have to flash is really quickly now.”