Best-case, worst-case scenarios for Buckeyes offensive line
COLUMBUS — Ohio State really likes the pieces it has along the offensive line.
The Buckeyes now must put them all together to make a unit that’s much better than it was this time last year, a unit that can help elevate them to a national title.
“I think we’re really athletic,” Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said of the Buckeyes offensive line. “I think Donnie and Seth and those guys inside are really smart and really intelligent. They allow you to be able to make adjustments in-game. Just talking football with some of those guys, it’s like, ‘Wow, these guys are wired the right way.’ And a lot of those guys have played a lot of football so they can bank on their experience there.
“I think we’ve got about four guys that have played significant amount of snaps, and we got to make sure we can find out who the fifth guy is. But that’s similar to where the quarterback spot is.”
Lettermen Row is wrapping up Offensive Line Week, a week-long breakdown of the entire unit. And we’re looking at the best-case scenario for the unit — and the worst-case scenario. Let’s dive in.
Best-case scenario for Ohio State offensive line
It all starts at tackle for Ohio State. The best-case scenario is that Josh Simmons (left tackle) and Josh Fryar (on the right side) take massive steps forward in their respective developments. Fryar struggled at times last year, while Simmons just kept getting better as the season went on. If they both show growth this fall, Ohio State will have a much better offensive line unit — one it can count on to keep its quarterback, whoever that may be, clean.
At guard, the best-case scenario is that Donovan Jackson plays like a first-team All-Big Ten — and potentially first-team All-American, while one of the three right guard candidates between Luke Montgomery, Tegra Tshabola and Carson Hinzman, takes control of the job and runs with it. If that happens, this unit will be much better off than if it has to take the competition into the regular season.
Oh, and projected starting center Seth McLaughlin cleans up those snapping issues from a season ago — while maintaining his level as one of the elite blocking interior linemen in the country; he has given up just one career sack in 25 career starts.
While all of that is happening, young offensive linemen begin to emerge as the future of the unit, and the success of the entire group helps push the Buckeyes over the top for key five-star offensive line targets they’ve struggled to land under Justin Frye and Greg Studrawa before him.
Worst-case scenario
Injuries, injuries, injuries. Yes, Ohio State is deeper than it was on the offensive line last year. But injury luck was on the Buckeyes’ side a year ago, allowing them to stick with a constant starting five for the entire season. Can they get so lucky again this year? If not, the worst-case scenario could play out. That would slide a few youngsters into pivotal roles. Is George Fitzpatrick ready to step in and play tackle? What about freshman Ian Moore?
Ohio State likes the depth it has on the interior, but the worst-case there is that the right guard shuffle never gets truly settled and it turns into a mess of a battle between Montgomery, Tshabola and Hinzman. While that’s going on, the tackles remain stagnant and are decent — but not up to the Ohio State standard, while Seth McLaughlin has similar snapping issues we saw from him at Alabama last year.
Justin Frye works hard to get the unit gelling, but it just never comes together, and the on-field product hurts the Buckeyes recruiting efforts — leading to another underwhelming offensive line class signed in Columbus.
The post Best-case, worst-case scenarios for Buckeyes offensive line appeared first on On3.
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