Ohio State Faces Offensive Tackle Challenge Ahead of Transfer Portal Opening
The Ohio State Buckeyes secured a strong recruiting class during early national signing day, but head coach Ryan Day knows their work isn’t finished. With the NCAA transfer portal officially opening next Monday, Day has made it clear that there’s one glaring priority for the Buckeyes: addressing their offensive tackle situation.
“That’s the one area there that I feel like we’ve got to make sure we’re addressing moving forward into the next few weeks. We have to do that,” Day said, according to Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors.
The urgency stems from the departure of Josh Simmons, who has declared for the NFL Draft, leaving a significant gap in Ohio State’s offensive line. Adding to the challenge, the Buckeyes have struggled in recent years to recruit top-tier offensive linemen. As Day looks to strengthen the trenches, the focus will likely shift to poaching experienced linemen through the transfer portal.
With the potential of a freshman quarterback leading the offense next season, solidifying the tackle positions has become crucial. Without improvements on the offensive line, the Buckeyes risk compromising their ability to protect a young signal-caller and maintain offensive consistency.
Failing to secure solutions through the portal would be a major setback for Ohio State, especially as they look to rebound from a 10-2 regular season and a heart-wrenching loss to archrival Michigan Wolverines.
Now, the Buckeyes are preparing for the College Football Playoff, where they’ll aim to contend for a national championship and leave their recent disappointment behind. The pressure is on Day and his staff to ensure the team’s foundation—both figuratively and literally—is strong enough to compete at the highest level.
