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ATHENS, Ohio – In football, a team's defense can send a home crowd into loud celebration or quiet a raucous crowd on the road. Playing in front of three packed crowds already, the Ohio defense has made exciting plays to spark enthusiasm in any stadium they play in. 
 
 In Ohio's 17-10 win against West Virginia, junior defensive lineman Nehemiah Dukes (Douglasville, Ga.) made a handful of these plays to send a record-breaking home crowd into a frenzy. 
 
Transferring in from Youngstown State following the 2024 season, this is Duke's first season with the Bobcats. In his one game at Peden Stadium, Dukes recorded a season-high four tackles and a game-changing sack late in the game. 
 
"It was a great experience," Dukes said. "First home game in Peden, packed out crowd, the energy was insane. I felt like I really fed off the energy. It felt like every play I made, the more energy I was getting. I was just feeding off of it and making more plays."
 
With a little over 10 minutes to play and Ohio up by one score, Dukes got into the backfield to sack the West Virginia quarterback on third down to allow the Ohio offense back on the field. After the play, Dukes burst into celebration along with the home crowd to give Ohio all the momentum it needed to finish the game with a win.
 
Dukes is a member of an Ohio front seven that is almost entirely revamped from last season. Ohio had to bring in a handful of new players, including Dukes, to help a defensive front that was hit harder than any other position group with roster turnover following the 2024 season. 
 
So far, Dukes and his fellow defensive linemen have filled in nicely to a historically successful Ohio defense under defensive coordinator John Hauser. 
 
"I can see how bad we (the defense) really want it," Dukes said. "I can see that we are all putting in the effort, putting in the hard work, the commitment, dedication to coaches and the players on the field. We go out there every day and play for our brothers next to us."
 
After getting the opportunity to start last season as a sophomore at Youngstown State, Dukes played well enough to feel worthy of entering the transfer portal and make the jump to a program with more resources. Once in the portal, choosing Ohio was the obvious decision for Dukes. 
 
"The culture and energy up here were just different," Dukes said. "Ohio is known for being a winning team. I've never been a part of a true winning culture. Coming here on my visit, I felt it immediately. The energy the coaches were giving me, even the players I was talking to, just the energy they were giving me, it felt like home."
 
Dukes loves the energy he gets from his fellow teammates, his coaches and the fans at Peden Stadium. That energy is something that, as a defensive lineman, he loves to create and feed off of on every snap he's on the field. 
 
With the remainder of his time at Ohio, Dukes hopes to play a pivotal role in continuing the success of Ohio football. In addition to just winning games, Dukes hopes to keep bringing energy to Peden Stadium and wreaking havoc in the backfield. 
 
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