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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Carson Hinzman Finding Footing at Left Guard for Ohio State Despite Plenty of Turmoil Since December
In 11 months, Carson Hinzman went from being benched for the Cotton Bowl to part of the solution for Ohio State's offensive line turmoil.
Carson Hinzman Finding Footing at Left Guard for Ohio State Despite Plenty of Turmoil Since December
Oh, the difference 11 months can make.
This past December, Carson Hinzman, then Ohio State’s starting center, was benched ahead of the Cotton Bowl in favor of right guard Matt Jones, who slid in to take his spot as Enokk Vimahi plugged in at Jones’ former position. The Buckeyes’ offensive line proceeded to put on perhaps its worst performance in recent memory during a 14-3 loss to Missouri.
That’s ancient history at this point. Recency bias trumps all in the hearts and minds of fans, and most recently, Hinzman swapped in at left guard to help save an offensive line that seemed to be on a downward spiral due to injury and is growing his confidence for the stretch run of the season.
“Just trusting God’s process,” Hinzman said. “I definitely did not have left guard in my mind coming into this year or last year. But just trusting the plan, trusting that I'm going to do everything I can for this team. My brothers (are playing well), I’m not gonna be petty in any way. So, just giving all I can no matter what position I play.”
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State Buckeye are you most thankful for?
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
www.landgrantholyland.com
Which Ohio State Buckeye are you most thankful for?
Matt’s answer: Carson Hinzman
Will Howard is an excellent choice by Brett and one that I am clearly very much in support of. But in this moment, this week, heading into this game, I am especially thankful for Carson Hinzman. After starting 12 games at center last year, only to be replaced with seemingly little logic for what turned out to be a shambolic bowl performance from the offensive line, it would have been easy for the junior lineman to become disenchanted in Columbus and look to find greener pastures elsewhere.However, he did not do that, nor did he opt to leave when OSU brought in a two-year starting center from Alabama via the transfer portal. Instead, he continued to work and learn behind Seth McLaughlin until he was called upon to move a little to his left and fill in at guard following the injuries to Josh Simmons and Zen Michalski.
In his brief time at LG, he played very well, but once McLaughlin went down, he was thrust back into the exact same spot he was in last year. Against Indiana, Hinzman was back at the center of Ohio State’s offensive line which dominated a top-five opponent.
So, I am incredibly grateful that the team has his experience heading into the homestretch following McLaughlin’s Achilles injury, and I am even more grateful that Carson chose to remain a Buckeye. He is not a native Ohioan, I wouldn’t doubt that Luke Fickell likely would have welcomed the Wisconsin native with open arms had Hinzman entered the transfer portal.
But, he did not, and now he is arguably the most important non-quarterback on Ohio State’s roster as the team prepares to enter the postseason as the betting favorite to win the national championship. I shudder to think what could have been in store for the Buckeye offensive line had McLaughlin gone down and Hinzman wasn’t on the team. Yes, Joshua Padilla was the No. 11 interior offensive lineman in the 2023 recruiting cycle, but he has barely played at Ohio State, and that is not the type of guy you want to have to turn to when your season is on the line.
So, Carson Hinzman, I hope that whenever you sit down to your Thanksgiving meal — either on Thursday or after The Game — you have an extra helping of mashed potatoes and know that Buckeye Nation is grateful to have you on our side.
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When I see someone respond to adversity as he has, my mind drifts to what such a person can accomplish in life after football. It appears that the sky would be the limit.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Ohio State football: The redemptive arc of Carson Hinzman
The offensive lineman had an up-and-down season in 2024 and will now enter 2025 as the starting center. It's been a crazy ride for him.
scarletandgame.com
Ohio State football: The redemptive arc of Carson Hinzman
The offensive lineman had an up-and-down season in 2024 and will now enter 2025 as the starting center. It's been a crazy ride for him.
The Ohio State football team had a strange start to the season. They shuffled their offensive line around, trying to find the best combination. They couldn't find anyone they liked at the guard position. The strangest thing of it all is that Carson Hinzman was not one of the starting offensive linemen.
After starting the entire 2023 season at center, a position he wasn't recruited to play, he was suddenly on the bench. It didn't make much sense that they didn't put him at one of the guard spots, considering that was his natural position. Perhaps it was the fact that he was benched for the Cotton Bowl due to a podcast appearance. In fact, he got passed up by three other guards.
Eventually, they started Hinzman at guard once Josh Simmons went down. He played well, which wasn't a surprise. Then, Seth McLaughlin went down, so he had to slide back to center. He went from starter to bench rider, to starting at guard, back to starting center. It was a wild ride.
Ohio State football player Carson Hinzman has had a crazy collegiate career
As the Buckeyes enter 2025, Hinzman will now be the starting center. There is no question that he will be the starter this time around. In fact, he might be the best returning offensive lineman that the Ohio State Buckeyes have this year. That's a pretty big 180 from how last year started for him.Of course, there are some things Hinzman still needs to worry about. He has to work at getting his snaps higher. This was an issue he had in 2023, and it reared its ugly head again during the CFP run last season. He needs to practice getting snaps in the shotgun to the quarterback's chest.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
2025 Ohio State football graduates:
- OC Carson Hinzman – Sport Industry
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Carson Hinzman Growing from Adversity of Past Seasons As He Works to Be Reliable Leader for Ohio State Offensive Line
Starting center Carson Hinzman is drawing from the ups and downs of his first three years at Ohio State as he strives to be one of the Buckeyes’ leaders in 2025.
Carson Hinzman Growing from Adversity of Past Seasons As He Works to Be Reliable Leader for Ohio State Offensive Line
Carson Hinzman’s first three years at Ohio State have been full of ups and downs, but the fourth-year center believes that roller-coaster ride has prepared him well to step into a leadership role for the Buckeyes this season.
After redshirting without playing a single snap as a true freshman in 2022, Hinzman became Ohio State’s starting center sooner than anticipated after Luke Wypler entered the 2023 NFL draft. The redshirt freshman struggled in that role for most of his first year, so much so that he was benched and saw no action in Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri even though the Buckeyes’ offensive line was a sieve throughout the game.
That prompted Ohio State to bring in Seth McLaughlin as its starting center for last season, keeping Hinzman out of the first-team lineup for the Buckeyes’ first seven games of 2024. But Hinzman became Ohio State’s starting left guard after Donovan Jackson moved to left tackle following Josh Simmons’ season-ending knee injury, then became Ohio State’s starting center again for the final six games of the year after McLaughlin tore his Achilles.
Hinzman thrived in his initial role playing in between Jackson and McLaughlin, but struggled again in his first couple of games back at center, especially in his matchup with would-be first-round picks Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant in Ohio State’s loss to Michigan. But Hinzman stepped up along with the rest of the offensive line in the College Football Playoff, doing what he needed to do in the middle of the Buckeyes’ front five to help lead Ohio State to a national championship.
Now, Hinzman is expected to be Ohio State’s full-time starting center again in 2025. The Buckeyes are counting on Hinzman – their most experienced offensive lineman in terms of games started at Ohio State – to be one of their top leaders up front this season. And he’s drawing from all the experience he’s gained as a Buckeye so far, both good and bad, as he prepares for that role.
“At first I felt like it was a lot of adversity for me, but I think like that was the adversity I really needed,” Hinzman said. “I've been blessed with a lot of adversity, and I think that's definitely made me better on the back end. Coach Day always talks about it, and great leaders, they can show it. A lot of people can just talk about it, but to be about it is important. And I think to me, I've went through a lot of that adversity, I went through a lot of that stuff, and my testament has been written in an interesting way. But I think for me to take that next step is really important for not only for this team, but for myself personally.”
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