The Lott Impact Trophy goes out annually to college football’s best defensive player in terms of “character and performance.”

There is no doubt that Ohio State’s Chase Young is among the best in terms of performance given his hype for the Heisman Trophy and outstanding sack numbers this season. But it appears the voter panel looks down upon Young’s loan from a family friend to help finance last season’s Rose Bowl travel.

The loan led to a two-game suspension for Young, and seemingly disqualified him from the Lott Impact Trophy semifinalists announcements, which came yesterday with the social media hashtag “character counts.”

We've named our semifinalists! Did your favorite player make the list? #CharacterCountshttps://t.co/yLkIwmRJQv — Lott IMPACT Trophy (@TheLottTrophy) November 21, 2019

Even after a two-game suspension, Young is second nationally with 13.5 sacks and ranks No. 1 in both sacks and TFLs per game. Young returns Saturday just in time for a marquee matchup with Penn State after he sat against both Maryland and Rutgers.

“Obviously Chase is going to make plays,” said Penn State head coach James Franklin. “That's going to happen. We need to limit the impact that he has in the game. They're smart because if you leave him at the same position the entire game, it allows you to have a plan and know where he's going to be with a lot more confidence. Where if you move him around, it makes it a little bit more challenging.”

Young is already a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy, presented annually to the best defensive player in college football, and has a realistic chance to compete for the Heisman Trophy with a strong finish to the season.

When it comes to the Lott Trophy, the nation’s No. 1 defense did not receive a total snub. Defensive back Jordan Fuller was one of nine semifinalists announced because of his “maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity.”

Fuller is second on the Buckeyes with 45 tackles this season, and has two picks and a fumble recovery.

“I can honestly say that he is as fine a young man on and off the field as I have ever met,” Ryan Day said in the organization’s press release.

Ohio State hosts Penn State tomorrow in the game of the week where the winner takes charge of the Big Ten East. Young, a former five-star recruit from Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha, sacked Trace McSorley twice last season and broke up two of his passes in a 27-26 win in Happy Valley.

"He's been practicing. He wasn't really involved in the game plan the last couple weeks but he has been practicing. And Larry has been doing some extra work with him on the field, drill-wise, but now he's right back to practicing with the defense.