The Ohio State Club Football team broke a program record on Dec. 31 as 14 Buckeyes were named All-Americans by the National Club Football Association.
In addition to the All-American honors, sophomore quarterback Kellyn Gerenstein was named the NCFA’s Offensive Player of the Year while head coach James Grega was named the NCFA’s Coach of the Year after the Buckeyes finished a perfect 9-0 season with a national championship win over Oakland, 36-9, on Dec. 7.
Seven different Buckeyes were named first team All-Americans while eight were named to the second team (De’Shawn White listed once on each team).
1st Team All-Americans
Kellyn Gerenstein: Sophomore, Quarterback
Ohio State’s signal caller finished the season leading the NCFA in touchdown passes (17), passing yards (1,401) and completion percentage (min. 50 attempts).
In two seasons as the starting quarterback, Gerenstein has tossed 27 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He has also rushed for 15 touchdowns in his career, 10 of which came in 2019.
Gerenstein has thrown touchdown passes to nine different receivers in his 12 career games played. He has thrown for more than 100 yards in every career game, surpassing the 200-yard mark three times in his career.
Geoff Green II: Graduate, Wide Receiver
In his first season with the Buckeyes, graduate student Geoff Green dominated opposing secondaries. He led the NCFA in receptions (36), receiving yards (713) and receiving touchdowns (8), scoring in all but two games in 2019.
His 48-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the NCFA semifinal against Columbus State sealed a win to send the Buckeyes to the national title game. He caught at least three passes in every game and his three-touchdown performance against Pittsburgh was his most explosive game of the season.
Green tallied three 100-yard games against Pittsburgh, Columbus State and Oakland in the national championship game.
Jordan Griffith-Simmon: Freshman, Left Tackle
Fresh out of high school, Jordan stepped in at left tackle and was immediately one of the best offensive linemen in the country.
Taking on the NCFA’s Defensive Player of the Year Andrew Sebra twice, Jordan played a key role in keeping the quarterback clean and paving the way to a championship. He started all but one game at left tackle and dominated opposing defensive lines.
Chase Gasser: Junior, Defensive Tackle
For the third straight season, Chase Gasser is an All-American.
The Ohio State defensive tackle once again dominated the line of scrimmage in 2019, collecting 53 total tackles, five sacks and two fumble recoveries. His best game came against rival Miami (OH), when he tallied 12 total tackles and three sacks.
His performance in the national title game against Oakland was also extraordinary as he posted 10 total tackles, adding a national title to his long list of football accomplishments.
DaJuan Seward: Graduate, Safety
Much like Green, Seward was a first-year player that dominated the minute he stepped on the field.
A former Ohio State track star, Seward finished the 2019 season with 45 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and three pass deflections. He shined in the national title game against Oakland, collecting a whopping 19 tackles and a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown.
Seward also returned kicks for the Buckeyes and averaged 21.75 yards per kick return.
De’Shawn White: Junior, Returner
White started on every side of the ball, playing wide receiver, corner and starred as a return man. He returned the opening kickoff 99-yards for a score in a 46-2 win over Wright State and also returned a punt for a score against Pittsburgh, although it was called back on a penalty.
In addition, he returned a blocked field goal 88 yards for a touchdown in the season-opening win against Oakland.
Offensively, White caught 22 passes for 352 yards and four touchdowns, making 10 catches in Ohio State’s final two games in the playoffs.
Alex Strohm: Senior, Kicker
After kicking for the Buckeyes in 2015, Strohm returned in 2019 and put together the best season of any kicker in the league.
Strohm converted on 7-of-10 field goals in 2019 and 27-of-32 extra points. He split the kickoff duties with punter Lorenzo King and led the NCFA in field goals made and field goal percentage.
2nd Team All-Americans
Madu Eneli: Junior, Running Back
Madu returned to the Ohio State Club Football team after a year off in 2018 and immediately made an impact.
After earning second-team All-America honors in 2017, Eneli finished fifth in the NCFA in total rushing yards in 2019, finishing the year with 401 yards on 58 carries, collecting three touchdowns. He posted the longest recorded run of the season in the NCFA in a season-opening win against Oakland when he scampered 75 yards for a touchdown.
His best game came against RMU-Peoria when he carried 11 times for 105 yards. He missed the majority of the national championship game due to a foot injury, but still managed to set up the first touchdown of the game, ripping off a 25-yard run on the first play from scrimmage.
For his career, Eneli has rushed for 1,070 yards and seven scores.
Nick Untch: Senior, Offensive Guard
A first-year player, Untch started every game along Ohio State’s offensive line, making his biggest impact at guard. Behind him and the rest of the Ohio State line, the Buckeyes rushed for 913 yards in eight games.
Arguably one of the toughest players on the team, Untch also filled in at linebacker where he collected a scoop-and-score in the national championship game against Oakland.
Kevin Creamer: Freshman, Defensive End
A Cincinnati native, Creamer joined the team just in time for the second game of the season in which he made his biggest impact.
Creamer collected 15 total tackles in the 42-7 win over RMU-Peoria, including two sacks and two forced fumbles. On the season, he finished with 36 total tackles and four sacks in just six games played.
Xavier Thayer: Sophomore, Linebacker
One of the premier leaders on the roster and an Army veteran, Thayer was arguably one of the hardest hitters in the league.
Voted the Special Teams Player of the Year by his teammates for his fearlessness and physicality on kickoff, Thayer finished the season with 34 total tackles, two fumble recoveries and a sack.
Casey Scroggins: Freshman, Cornerback
Voted the Platoon Player of the Year by his teammates as the top two-way player on the roster, Scroggins did not allow a pass completion to his side until the NCFA semifinal game against Columbus State.
Scroggins made 22 tackles on the season from his corner position and eight pass breakups. Offensively, he caught 19 passes for 270 yards and a score.
De’Shawn White: Junior, Cornerback
Already a first-team All-American as a returner, White is a second-team performer as a cornerback.
White deflected just two passes in 2019, mainly because teams largely refused to throw his way. A lockdown corner that also is perhaps the fastest player in the NCFA, White was part of a secondary that did not allow a single passing touchdown all season.
Sam Frank: Sophomore, Safety
Another military veteran, Frank saved his best game for last as he was named Most Valuable Player of the national title game as he collected nine tackles, an interception and a 48-yard fumble recovery for a score against Oakland.
On the year, he finished with 43 tackles, two interceptions and 11 pass deflections to lead the Buckeyes to a national title.
Lorenzo King: Senior, Punter
For the third straight season, King was named an All-American for his efforts as a punter.
He averaged 36.5 yards per punt and had multiple downed inside the 20. His longest punt of the year came in a win against Pitt as he tallied a 52 yarder against the Panthers. He also handled the kicking duties for Ohio State in that game with Strohm out and converted on five of six extra points.
King also handled the majority of the kickoff duties and dished out a handful of touchbacks, including a bomb against Columbus State to continue Ohio State’s momentum.
To see a full list of the 2019 NCFA All-Americans, click here.
Ohio State Club Football 