Ohio State Club Football continues to make history.
Seventeen Buckeyes were named NCFA All-Americans by the league on Dec. 23, the most in league history. A total of 10 Buckeyes were named First-Team All-Americans and seven were named to the Second-Team.
Junior star Casey Scroggins was named a First-Team All-American as both a wide receiver and a safety, while Jalen Haley was named a First-Team All-American as a running back and return man. Ohio State is the first program in NCFA history to have two players named First-Team All-Americans at two different positions in the same season. In addition, three out of five Ohio State offensive linemen were named to the First-Team All-American list.
First-Team All-Americans
Jalen Haley: Sophomore, Running Back
Ohio State’s starting running back put together the best single-season rushing performance in program history in 2021, rushing for a league-high 841 yards on 113 carries and 11 touchdowns. He posted two of the top-five best single-game rushing performances in team history, when he rushed for 169 yards against Wright State in the GAC Championship Game and 145 against Oakland. His 11 rushing touchdowns rank second in program history for a single season.
Despite playing most of the season with an injured ankle, he was still able to break the program record for rushing yards in a season, passing Madu Eneli’s 670 yards set in 2017. He is the first running back in program history to be named a First-Team All-American, pacing an Ohio State offense that set program records for team rushing yards in a single-season.
Casey Scroggins: Junior, Wide Receiver
Much like Haley, Casey Scroggins put together the best season at his position in team-history. Scroggins hauled in a program-best 45 receptions for 931 yards. His eight single-season touchdowns tied Geoff Green’s team record from 2019.
Scroggins recorded six 100-yard receiving games in 2021 in nine chances, including a 115-yard performance in the national championship game. His 931 receiving yards led the NCFA, the second year in a row a Buckeye has led the league in that category (Geoff Green, 713). In addition to his superb play on offense, Scroggins starred on defense and special teams helping Ohio State win its second straight national title.
Jordan Griffith-Simmon: Junior, Left Tackle
For the third-straight season, Ohio State’s starting left tackle is a First-Team All-American, and for the second-straight season, its Jordan Griffith-Simmon.
Griffith-Simmon has been a staple of Ohio State’s offensive line since 2019, when he became the first freshman lineman in team history to be named to the First-Team All-American list. In 2021, he played a key role in leading the Buckeyes to 1,908 rushing yards, a program record. Asked to take on the NCFA Defensive Player of the Year twice in the same year for the second year in a row (Andrew Sebra, 2019), Griffith-Simmon routinely rose to the challenge.
Jackson Rittman: Freshman, Left Guard
A freshman from Westerville, Jackson Rittman immediately earned a starting role on Ohio State’s offensive line and never looked back.
A key part of the Buckeye offensive attack, Rittman started all nine games at guard for Ohio State in 2021 while also filling in admirably on defense. In addition to being a critical piece on the offensive line, Rittman also tallied 20 tackles and a fumble recover on defense as a linebacker and defensive lineman.
Sam Backenstoe: Junior, Center
Arguably the best lineman in the NCFA, Backenstoe transferred in from Army and immediately became one of the best players on the field for the Buckeyes.
Backenstoe led the Ohio State offensive line to a record-breaking season, in addition to also making some plays defensively in critical situations for the Buckeyes. Backenstoe didn’t miss a snap on offense in 2021 for Ohio State while also making eight tackles on defense in limited reps.
Chris Karras: Junior, Defensive End
A transfer from Bowling Green, Karras was a dominant force for Ohio State in 2021 as the former Div. I player was first on the team in tackles for loss and second on the team in sacks.
Karras played his best game in the NCFA National Championship Game, coming away with a season-best 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks against George Mason. His 7.5 sacks on the season were sixth-best in the NCFA, also ranking as fifth-most in program history as he finished with 41 total tackles on the year.
Casey Scroggins: Junior, Safety
A Second-Team All-American as a cornerback in 2019, Scroggins exploded in 2021. Also a First-Team All-American at wide receiver, Scroggins added 36 tackles and six interceptions from his safety spot on defense to land him on the First-Team defense list.
Scroggins became just the second player in NCFA history to be named to the First-Team All-American offensive and defensive teams. His six interceptions tied for first in the NCFA in 2021 and also ties the program record for interceptions in a career (Tavontae Norwood, Drey Bowden). In the national title game against George Mason, Scroggins collected nine tackles and an interception to collect the second championship in his career and in program history.
David Rive: Freshman, Kicker
His first season as a Buckeye was a memorable one for Rive, who finished the season 3-for-4 on field goals and 31-of-35 on extra points to help the Buckeyes to a 7-2 record and a national title.
His 34-yard field goal with just 90 seconds left against George Mason on October 10 proved to be a game-winner in a 29-28 thriller. Also handling kickoff duties, Rive proved to be a reliable weapon for Ohio State all season, earning him First-Team All-American honors.
David Cooper: Junior, Punter
A starter at cornerback, Cooper also handled punting duties all year for Ohio State, earning First-Team All-American honors in his first year with the team. Although he averaged just 33.42 yards per punt, he was able to place 42 percent of his punts inside the 20 yard line, best in the NCFA.
Cooper was a Swiss Army knife for Ohio State all season, recording 16 tackles, four pass deflections and an interception on defense while adding three receptions for 122 yards on offense for the Buckeyes.
Jalen Haley: Junior, Returner
A First-Team performer as a running back, Haley was also named a First-Team return man as well. He led the NCFA in total return yards as well as the longest recorded return of the season, a 53-yard return to open the second half against Oakland.
Second-Team All-Americans
Kellyn Gerenstein: Senior, Quarterback
The 2019 NCFA Offensive MVP put together another stellar season in 2021. He finished second in almost every major passing category, throwing for 14 touchdowns and rushing for another 14. His rushing touchdown total led the NCFA and also set the record for most rushing scores in program history.
Gerenstein threw for 1,661 yards and rushed for another 651. He was named the 2021 National Championship Game MVP after throwing for 208 yards and two touchdowns through the air and adding 88 yards and three scores on the ground. In his three seasons with the Buckeyes, he has accumulated 4,979 total offensive yards and 70 touchdowns.
Adam Bardak: Senior, Tight End
A fifth-year senior, three-time captain and two-time national champion, tight end Adam Bardak can now add All-American to his list of accolades.
Bardak hauled in nine passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns in 2021, ranking second on the team in touchdown receptions and third in receiving yards. He also was critical in helping lead Ohio State’s rushing attack to the tune of 1,908 yards. Over his career, Bardak collected 23 receptions for 337 yards and four touchdowns from his tight end position. Also filling in on defense, Bardak tallied 10 tackles in 2021, going out a champion.
Dierre Blash: Senior, Defensive End
Like Bardak, Blash is a veteran of the NCFA, first joining Ohio State in 2018 and is finally on an All-American list.
A two-way starter for the Buckeyes for the entirety of his career, Blash spent the 2021 season starting at right guard on offense while also terrorizing opposing offenses. He led the Buckeyes in sacks in 2021 with 9.5, which ranks second in team history and was fifth in the NCFA this season. He finished the year with 34 total tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Colby Stahl: Junior, Linebacker
Ohio State’s leading tackler, Colby Stahl was all over the field in his first year as a Buckeye, tallying 69 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a fumble recovery and an interception.
Stahl started every game at middle linebacker for the Buckeyes, also filling in at offensive guard when needed. His best game came against Wright State in the Great American Conference Championship Game when he collected 14 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Hunter St. Andre: Senior, Linebacker
A veteran of the team starting in 2017, St. Andre returned after two years away and made an incredible impact. St. Andre was second on the team in tackles with 57, adding two sacks.
St. Andre also filled in on offense at running back throughout the season, carrying 10 times for 70 yards. Over his career, St. Andre proved to be a valuable player on both sides of the ball, finishing his time at Ohio State with 92 total tackles on defense, adding 532 total yards of offense and two touchdowns.
Jeremiah Croom: Sophomore, Cornerback
In his first year with the Buckeyes, Croom put together a solid year, collecting 16 total tackles an interception and seven pass deflections, good for second on the team behind Scroggins.
Croom also added a forced fumble to his stat line, playing in all nine games in 2021. His best performance of the year came on October 10 against George Mason when he collected two tackles to go along with a forced fumble and an interception.
Kaleb Slover: Freshman, Safety
Slover made the transition from high school to college and immediately earned a starting role on Ohio State’s defense in 2021. A versatile player, Slover played safety, hybrid and corner for the Buckeyes this season, posting 48 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, a fumble recovery and three interceptions.
His best game came in the national title game against George Mason when he collected 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He also played sparingly on offense, carrying the ball three times for 10 yards.
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