On Friday morning, news broke that Chase Young won the 2019 Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award. This award is given out annually to the Big Ten’s top player and is voted on by the conference’s coaches.

This isn’t a fan vote. It’s not a popularity contest. It’s who the B1G coaches think the best overall player in the conference is. To win it as a defender — while missing two games — is quite impressive.

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He is the first defender to win the award since Michigan DE Brandon Graham shared the honor with Penn State QB Daryll Clark in 2009.

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Young got nine of 13 first-place votes, garnering 19 total points. Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor was second, obtaining 12 points. Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and running back J.K. Dobbins finished with five and four points, respectively.

Young is the 19th overall winner of the award for Ohio State, but is the first Buckeye defender to be named the conference’s top player.