Ed Warinner's shown it doesn't much matter who he has up front at Ohio State — as long as they listen to him, the Buckeyes are going to have successful offensive line play.
Warinner's groups have served as the backbone of Ohio State's offenses in the three years he's been in Columbus under Urban Meyer, bringing new meaning to the phrase seven yards and a cloud of dust.
The Buckeyes averaged nearly that (6.8 yards per tote, to be exact) every time they took to the ground in 2013, a year that began with 12 consecutive victories.
Of the big guys up front from that team, three started for NFL playoff teams last season — Corey Linsley with the Green Bay Packers, Jack Mewhort with the Indianapolis Colts and Andrew Norwell with the Carolina Panthers. Another, Taylor Decker, is preparing for his senior season at Ohio State and has a bonafide shot at being a first round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The two units share considerable equalities, especially considering where they stood heading into their second season under Warinner. Four starters returned from 2012 to 2013; the same goes for this fall from the 2014 national title team.
NFL talent is present across the board, but of course we won't know for roughly nine months if the offensive linemen on this year's team will hear their name called at the draft. Some could even choose to stay in school like Decker did and play out their final years of eligibility.
Below is a position by position breakdown of each player from left to right followed by a stats comparison of the two units and a look at the jump they made in their second year together under Warinner.
LEFT TACKLE
2013: Jack Mewhort, 6-foot-6, 308 pounds, senior
2015: Taylor Decker, 6-foot-8, 315 pounds, senior
The Skinny: Both Mewhort and Decker entered their senior campaigns as the best pro prospects of their respective units. Mewhort was a team spokesman in his own right back in 2013, and Decker is already one for this fall with his inclusion in Big Ten Media Days next week.
Mewhort moved to guard once he got to Indianapolis, lacking the quick first step needed to play left tackle in the NFL. Decker has that in addition to 29 consecutive starts to his name, making a name for himself during the end of Ohio State's 2014 title run.
Both are great players, and if Decker stays healthy and keeps improving, he's got an outstanding chance to be a first round draft pick next April.
"Arguably the top senior in the country at his position, Decker became a sophomore starter at right tackle in 2013, moving over to the left side last season and starting all 15 games. He has a large frame and is well-put-together with NFL length to extend and meet rushers with timing and strong hands," CBS Sports NFL Draft guru Dane Brugler said. "As a run blocker, Decker needs to tidy up his angles, but he has the physical upper body and natural bend to drive defenders from run lanes. Although not a lock first round pick next spring, Decker could secure his status as the top senior offensive tackle prospect with improvement in the aforementioned areas this fall."
LEFT GUARD
2013: Andrew Norwell, 6-foot-6, 316 pounds, senior
2015: Billy Price, 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, sophomore
The Skinny: Norwell was the main proponent in coining the term "Slobs" as the Ohio State offensive line when Meyer and Co. arrived prior to the 2012 season, embodying the grubby personality with his mangled hair and messy approach to the game.
It's gotten him far, however, becoming a starter on a Carolina team that won a playoff game in 2014. Price has the highest ceiling of any current offensive linemen, both because of his youth and superior strength — he's widely considered the strongest guy on the entire team.
Price wasn't a set in stone starter when the 2014 season began, but found his place and is a guy Meyer credited in the post-season as a crucial reason Ohio State's rushing attack was so potent by the end.
CENTER
2013: Corey Linsley, 6-foot-3, 297 pounds, senior
2015: Jacoby Boren, 6-foot-1, 290 pounds, senior
The Skinny: Linsley's nickname ("The Apex") is all you really need to know when you consider his importance to the 2013 squad. Meyer and Warinner loved and trusted what he did as a leader and his consistent play led to first-team All-Big Ten honors as the catalyst for Ohio State's record-breaking offense.
Boren makes waves in his own way, getting the job done regardless how many times he gets banged up while being a little overlooked due to his size. Much like all the other positions on the line save for left tackle at the beginning of last season, Warinner wasn't sure if Boren was going to be the guy at center. He was, though, and played well.
Linsley nearly made it to the Super Bowl during his first year in Green Bay, stepping in production due to an injury and never looking back. In some ways, he and Boren are similar in that regard, taking an opportunity and thriving regardless the circumstance.
RIGHT GUARD
2013: Marcus Hall, 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, senior
2015: Pat Elflein, 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, junior
The Skinny: Elflein made a name for himself at Hall's expense, after the latter left Michigan Stadium in November 2013 with a pair of middle fingers in the air following an on-field fight.
Hall was subsequently suspended for the following week's Big Ten Championship Game, an affair Elflein performed admirably in despite Ohio State's loss to Michigan State. Due to that, many wondered if Hall would play in the Orange Bowl or if Warinner would just keep the train moving with the future. Hall played, but everyone knew the Buckeyes had two returning starters in Elflein and Decker set in stone for 2014.
A Columbus kid, Elflein is smart, diligent and talented, all characteristics as to why he's got a shot to make it to the NFL if he continues on his upward progression. Brugler lists him as a player to watch in the 2016 draft, if he decides to forgo his final year of eligibility and turn pro.
RIGHT TACKLE
2013: Taylor Decker, 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, sophomore
2015: Chase Farris, 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, senior
The Skinny: The right tackle positions has been a revolving door at Ohio State since Meyer took over, with Warinner molding Reid Fragel in 2012 then inserting a young pup in Decker the next year. Then came fifth-year senior Darryl Baldwin in 2014 when Decker moved to the left side, the quiet elder the group needed at just the right time to be successful.
Farris looks to do the same in 2015. He's not as big or as talented as Decker, but has the skills enough to play a key part in Ohio State's offensive attack. Earning the job in spring practice, Farris finally gets an opportunity to start after switching from defense to offense in the early stages of his career.
Farris stepped in during the Sugar Bowl with Boren went down briefly with an injury and helped Ohio State score a touchdown, so his successful track record is there. Now, we get to see if he can do it for an entire season like Baldwin in 2014.
Here's how the offensive stats (with as much respect to offensive line play as possible) look in the Meyer era:
| Yr | G | PPG | First Downs (Rush) | Rush Attemps | Yards | TD | YPC | Sacks Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 12 | 37.2 | 257 (156) | 559 | 2,907 | 37 | 5.2 | 30 (T-90th) |
| 2013 | 14 | 45.5 | 361 (216) | 635 | 4,321 | 45 | 6.8 | 22 (T-47th) |
| 2014 | 15 | 44.9 | 386 (217) | 690 | 3,967 | 41 | 5.8 | 28 (49th) |
As you can see, the jump in production from 2012 to 2013 is frankly remarkable. Two more games on the schedule helped aid the numbers spike, but more than 4,000 rushing yards and a blistering 6.8 yards per carry rushing average is impressive.
The 2014 squad ran the ball more than either year before, mainly because it played in 15 games. Also, Ezekiel Elliott and the offensive line were counted on more than ever during the post-season to help ease the stress of Cardale Jones in the passing game.
Theoretically, the production running the ball should see an increase yet again this fall at Ohio State due to 80 percent of the offensive line returning from a year ago, just like it did in 2013. That remains to be seen, however, but the Buckeyes have the guys in place and a bruising tailback in Elliott to yet again play downhill like Carlos Hyde did in 2013 — regardless who plays quarterback.
A lot of it depends on how Warinner calls plays as the new offensive coordinator, especially with the Buckeyes having more talent on offense than it did in Meyer's first few years on campus.
