Tommy Eichenberg has been an integral part of the Ohio State defense through the season's first four weeks, making tackles and causing frequent disruption for opposing offenses.
The Big Ten acknowledged Eichenberg's most recent outing of 14 tackles and two tackles for loss against Wisconsin with a Big Ten co-defensive player of the week award shared with Iowa safety Kaevon Merriweather. Eichenberg's recognition comes after he was named Ohio State's defensive player of the game and Eleven Warriors bestowed him with defensive player of the week honors for his performance.
#B1GFootball -
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 26, 2022
Kaevon Merriweather, @HawkeyeFootball
Tommy Eichenberg, @OhioStateFB
More on their accomplishments: https://t.co/1qzdZN8rB7 pic.twitter.com/Z2CRz2PYYc
Eichenberg previously won the Bronko Nagurski national defensive player of the week for his performance against Notre Dame in Week 1, and he is now the third Buckeye to win a Big Ten weekly award through the first four games. In Week 2, Marvin Harrison Jr.'s dominant performance against Arkansas State helped him share a co-offensive player of the week honor with Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, while C.J. Stroud took home the same award outright for his five-touchdown outing against Toledo in Week 3.
This season, Eichenberg paces Ohio State with 33 tackles – the next closest Buckeye being fellow linebacker Steele Chambers who has 19 – and ties Mike Hall Jr. for the team lead in tackles for loss with five. At the same time, the fourth-year linebacker ties Hall, Jack Sawyer and Javontae Jean-Baptiste for the team lead in sacks with two.
In 2021, Eichenberg played in all 13 games and recorded 64 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and zero sacks as a redshirt sophomore. With that said, the Cleveland native is on pace to set career highs in every statistical category for his position, as he is well on his way to surpassing those personal bests after the first four games of the 2022 season.
