2025 tOSU Offense Discussion
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
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When Josh Simmons went down with a season-ending injury in Week 7 at Oregon, the offensive line struggled with his replacement, Zen Michalski, against Nebraska the next game. The Buckeyes barely beat their inferior foe 21-17 in that contest. What salvaged the season? Donovan Jackson moved from left guard to left tackle, where he’d never played before in his collegiate career.
Then there was Carson Hinzman, who started at center in 2023, plugged in at left guard when Jackson slid out in 2024 and moved back to center after Seth McLaughlin sustained his own season-ending injury.
With that in mind, it was no surprise to see offensive guard Austin Siereveld working at left tackle as Ohio State opened spring practice on Monday.
“Now that we're going to a roster of 105, it looks like that's where we're headed, we have to have versatility,” Day said. “Guys have to be able to play multiple positions. You saw that happen with Donovan, you saw it happen with Carson this year, you've seen it happen with a lot of our guys. And so we wanna be able to teach guys in dual roles this year. I think it's important, and not just on the offensive line.”
Day said that Ohio State will expect its tight ends to know how to play receiver and have receivers that can play out of the backfield in 2025, particularly slot wideout Brandon Inniss. Cross-training will be a team-wide affair.
“At 105, that's tough, because when you look at the NFL, people are gonna say, well, they have a 56-man roster,” Day said. “But the truth is, when they bring guys in and send guys onto waivers, most teams are in the north of 115, 120 of guys in the building and out of the building. Well, if you only have 105 guys to work with, and some of those guys are young freshmen, then you have to have versatility in all those positions.”
But the impetus is especially there along Ohio State’s front five, and it makes additional sense in Siereveld’s case as the Buckeyes have a potential offensive tackle depth issue if one or two players get hurt in 2025.
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Ohio State Cross-Training Offensive Linemen Austin Siereveld, Luke Montgomery, Others to Build Depth
Cross-training along the offensive line saved Ohio State’s national championship run in 2024.When Josh Simmons went down with a season-ending injury in Week 7 at Oregon, the offensive line struggled with his replacement, Zen Michalski, against Nebraska the next game. The Buckeyes barely beat their inferior foe 21-17 in that contest. What salvaged the season? Donovan Jackson moved from left guard to left tackle, where he’d never played before in his collegiate career.
Then there was Carson Hinzman, who started at center in 2023, plugged in at left guard when Jackson slid out in 2024 and moved back to center after Seth McLaughlin sustained his own season-ending injury.
With that in mind, it was no surprise to see offensive guard Austin Siereveld working at left tackle as Ohio State opened spring practice on Monday.
“Now that we're going to a roster of 105, it looks like that's where we're headed, we have to have versatility,” Day said. “Guys have to be able to play multiple positions. You saw that happen with Donovan, you saw it happen with Carson this year, you've seen it happen with a lot of our guys. And so we wanna be able to teach guys in dual roles this year. I think it's important, and not just on the offensive line.”
Day said that Ohio State will expect its tight ends to know how to play receiver and have receivers that can play out of the backfield in 2025, particularly slot wideout Brandon Inniss. Cross-training will be a team-wide affair.
“At 105, that's tough, because when you look at the NFL, people are gonna say, well, they have a 56-man roster,” Day said. “But the truth is, when they bring guys in and send guys onto waivers, most teams are in the north of 115, 120 of guys in the building and out of the building. Well, if you only have 105 guys to work with, and some of those guys are young freshmen, then you have to have versatility in all those positions.”
But the impetus is especially there along Ohio State’s front five, and it makes additional sense in Siereveld’s case as the Buckeyes have a potential offensive tackle depth issue if one or two players get hurt in 2025.
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