For Ian Moore, this offseason is about creating an opportunity.
The redshirt freshman offensive tackle is still early in his collegiate development. He’s part of what seems to be a three-man competition ahead of preseason camp to start at right tackle, battling Austin Siereveld and Phillip Daniels.
But Moore wants to see the field. That’s the bottom line.
“I'm doing anything I have to,” Moore said in April. “I've been right, left tackle. I mean, today I've swung both ways, probably 50-50. So Coach (Tyler) Bowen's trying to, he calls it cross-training. Like last week, I was all right. This week I've been mostly left. So I mean, he's just trying to get me acclimated to both sides.”
The No. 168 overall prospect and No. 5 interior offensive lineman in the 247Sports composite, Moore was the highest-rated offensive line signee for the Buckeyes in their recruiting class of 2024 and the only one of the four with a real shot to be a cog in Ohio State’s 2025 OL.
Moore is an outside contender to establish himself as one of the Buckeyes’ “best five,” the year-in and year-out slogan of how they want to construct their offensive line. The cross-training he referenced is a unit-wide effort to ensure that whoever emerges as the best five can be plugged in and played as seamlessly as possible.
“I think if you're any player, right, the goal is to find the best five. You wanna give yourself the tools to be in the best five,” Bowen said. “I've been a part of groups where you maybe have three tackles that are stronger than your interior, where we gotta figure out where one of those tackles can go to guard, right? Or you've got four interior players that are really good. Well, we gotta figure out which one can slide over to right tackle. So I think that's the flexibility that it creates.”
Bowen was brought in this offseason to cultivate the new starting bunch after the departure of former offensive line coach Justin Frye to the Arizona Cardinals. Ryan Day brought in two decorated and experienced offensive line coaches, Charlie Dickey and Marcus Johnson, to aid in player development.
“Coach Bowen’s great,” Moore said. “I think he runs a lot like Coach Frye, so I mean, the transition wasn’t too crazy. And I mean, yeah, Coach Johnson, Coach Dickey, I know he's got like 30-something plus years of experience as a head O-line coach. So I mean, it's just great to have all these guys.”
Moore’s focus this offseason has been on improving in pass protection, especially when it comes to timing and striking with his hands. He said he has a tendency to lean forward and strike early, leaving him off-balance and vulnerable to opposing rush moves. He feels working against a diverse array of archetypes at defensive end – standup speed options like C.J. Hicks or Arvell Reese with traditional defensive ends like Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Caden Curry – has been a boon.
“My sense to acclimate to those kind of speed rusher type guys has improved,” Moore said. “And then you got KJ, which is more of a prototypical edge guy instead of a speed guy. I'm getting a big mix of a lot of different guys, and I think it's helping me out a lot.”
Moore’s improved physically, too, which is only natural for a player going from his first to second year.
“I've gotten a lot faster, a lot twitchier,” Moore said. “My strength has always been above average. So I mean, that's always been great. And then improvement out here, I think I've done pretty good improving on my sets with zone footwork, gap footwork, that type of stuff.”
The next step Bowen wanted to see out of Moore in the springtime was consistency. He’s got the talent to earn playing time quickly, but becoming an every-down player is a different challenge.
“I think, certainly, he's one of the guys in the mix,” Bowen said during the penultimate week of Ohio State’s spring practice. “There's been some inconsistency at times – with all of the guys, right? Not just him, but everybody there – but then there's been flashes of what it can really be. And I think this week, he's really come out with a good mindset. He started to show some of that consistency.”
Even if he’s not a starter, Moore is a clear favorite to be on the two-deep at tackle in his second year and will at least get some reps in relief of the first unit. And he says he’ll be ready, right side or left, if there’s an opening.
“I feel comfortable in both. I don't really think I have a preferred side,” Moore said. “I'm just really trying to do whatever I can to get on the field.”
