Why Ohio State’s offensive line will be the key to the Buckeyes’ 2026 success

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Entering past week’s Cotton Bowl, it was mostly assumed that Miami’s protect statement would power nan conflict astatine nan statement of scrimmage. The mobility was simply if nan Buckeyes’ statement could clasp up capable for that not to matter.

As it turned out, that disparity betwixt Miami’s beforehand and Ohio State’s beforehand 5 was overmuch larger than primitively anticipated.

As Ohio State’s play came to a astonishing end, nan attraction quickly shifted to 2026 arsenic nan transportation portal opened, and a caller twelvemonth beckoned sooner than anyone had anticipated.

Now, it’s clear that nan Buckeyes’ statement must return a measurement guardant successful 2026 for nan squad to person nan twelvemonth it wants to, against what appears to beryllium a overmuch tougher schedule.

• Ohio State shot is losing a starting violative lineman to nan transportation portal
• Ohio State has added a tight extremity arsenic its first 2026 transportation portal addition
• Ohio State shot is losing a erstwhile 5-star receiver to nan transportation portal
• Ohio State shot is losing a erstwhile five-star cornerback to nan transportation portal

At this clip past year, nan Buckeyes were hopeless for starting-level violative tackles. They took Ethan Onianwa from Rice and Phillip Daniels from Minnesota erstwhile Justin Frye was still nan statement coach, and earlier nan squad had gone connected a nationalist title run.

While Daniels became nan team’s starting correct tackle successful 2025, Onianwa was a non-factor for nan full season, moreover arsenic nan squad had needs crossed nan statement of scrimmage. For a mostly patient statement each play long, location were still questions astir nan semipermanent imaginable of nan statement arsenic nan play progressed.

And without immoderate awesome additions expected connected nan statement successful nan portal, Ohio State’s violative statement is apt mostly group headed into nan 2026 season. And that puts accrued value and unit connected that unit, and violative statement coach Tyler Bowen, to create int 1 of nan sport’s best. Because, connected paper, that’s what they should be.

Left tackle Austin Siereveld, near defender Luke Montgomery, halfway Carson Hinzman, correct defender Josh Padilla and Daniels each tin return for adjacent season. Then there’s Gabe VanSickle, a extent defender who started, and was replaced quickly, successful nan Cotton Bowl. There’s tackle Ian Moore, who replaced an injured Siereveld and played good successful spots this season. And Carter Lowe, nan erstwhile blue-chip tackle entering his 2nd play pinch nan program.

The players are connected nan roster for Ohio State to person a beardown violative statement adjacent season, and moreover pinch an NFL entrant from that operation (likely Hinzman aliases Siereveld), there’s still much than capable for Bowen and nan Buckeyes to activity with.

Now, that’s not to opportunity that nan Buckeyes had a bad statement successful nan 2025 play -- they classed 13th successful nan federation pinch 1.14 sacks allowed per game, moreover including nan Miami messiness successful nan Cotton Bowl. They were 50th successful nan federation astatine 4.55 yards per carry, moreover pinch an assortment of mostly inexperienced moving backs each season.

But adjacent season, Ohio State’s statement has nan opportunity to beryllium a monolithic strength. And it must capitalize connected that imaginable pinch a veteran, knowledgeable statement group to return.

With second-year Julian Sayin astatine quarterback, receiver Jeremiah Smith entering his last twelvemonth pinch nan Buckeyes and a big of talented backs, nan discourtesy will beryllium connected way to beryllium 1 of nan champion successful nan sport. If nan statement tin go dominant, being nan champion discourtesy successful nan athletics is surely connected nan table.

Bowen has shown nan expertise to enlistee well, adding 5 linemen successful nan 2026 class. That’s a ample reason, coach Ryan Day said, for why he was hired from Virginia Tech.

Now, he’ll person to style nan Buckeyes’ statement into 1 that tin power nan statement of scrimmage, nary matter which squad is connected nan different sideline.

Andrew Gillis covers Ohio State shot and recruiting for Cleveland.com. He provides updates connected Ohio State shot arsenic a whole, its prospects and nan Buckeyes each week. He antecedently covered nan Bengals for...