Ohio has found success during the past couple of seasons, including back-to-back 10 or more win seasons, and of course, last year's Mid-American Conference Championship. Unfortunately, with success comes the loss of players in today’s college football landscape, and teams looking to repeat, like Ohio, need some new faces to step up.
Redshirt sophomore defensive end Jay Crable, has stepped up in a huge way in 2025. Crable, who grew up in Massillon, Ohio, had a childhood that led him to bounce around a bit as a result of his father’s time at Michigan, where he captained its football team in 2007 before being drafted to the New England Patriots in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Crable’s father, Shawn Crable, played football all throughout his childhood and made sure he passed on some wisdom to his son both on and off the field, but at the same time, Jay Crable learned the game and began to love it, helping him get to this point in his career.
“(My) whole family (is a) football family,” Crable said. “Dad played at Massillon, Michigan, and the Patriots. So, really just traveling around with him at a young age, going to training tables with him, morning breakfasts with him in college, being in the locker room around other big football guys, really just made me love football and got me where I am now.”
Crable played offense during high school, but at Ohio, he jumped to the defensive side of the ball and some of the on-field wisdom that his father had passed on has certainly helped. The transition for Jay Crable has been smoother due to these little tips and tricks from his father, and they have helped him produce as a starter this year.
So far this season, Crable has been a serious pass-rush threat, racking up five sacks and seven tackles for a loss to go along with 21 total tackles.
“In high school, I was always on offense and did different things, but he would always drop wisdom on me about defense and stances and the way to play with your hands,” Crable said. “I always blew it off because I played offense. Like, I really don't need to know this, but then when I got to college, it's all defense. So like, I was able to transition and click everything, and now it's like, all coming back to me full circle.”
His dad was not the only area of inspiration Crable was able to get from his family, who all fell in love with sports too. Being one of seven kids helped him to be part of a team environment. It helped him be disciplined from a young age and be ready to step up when the time came.
“I'm one of the oldest in the house, so leadership, setting a good example, work ethic (are big values for me) because everybody that has younger siblings, you've got to set the right example for them,” Crable said. “It really pushed me to work harder and set the best example possible so my brothers and my sisters could follow it.”
Crable credited a lot of his statistical output so far in 2025 to some of the skills instilled by his parents, but the biggest is the work ethic that he learned from his mom. She worked hard and with kindness, two things Crable works into his own life.
“She had two or three jobs; she'd leave at night to go to work and take care of me and my brothers at all times,” Crable said of how hard his mom worked. “My mom is like the nicest person you'll ever meet. She gets along with everybody.”
Hard work is pivotal in football, but it is also a team game. Crable has helped power the team, leading in sacks, and after getting one, he takes a moment for himself, but then all he wants to do is celebrate that success with his team as the defense continues to play together.
“I make plays, I blow a kiss up to God, because I'm like ‘thank you for the opportunity to be on this field and play the game that I love’, but after that, it's like, let's go celebrate with the guys because we just made a play as a group and as a defense,” Jay Crable said.
The opportunity is always what has pushed Crable to find another gear. He comes to play every day with a winning attitude and energy that has helped motivate him. He is also motivated by the fans in Athens and loves being able to play in front of the home fans.
“When I'm able to step on the field in front of fans, and especially the fans here at home, you can, you can walk into Walmart, see people that will congratulate you,” Crable said. “Honestly, just things like that, just seeing the fans out, wanting to see you play and wanting to see the team win as a whole, that's where all my energy comes from.”
