A look back at Ohio State’s game film from when it last played Wisconsin showed Carson Hinzman just how far he’s come over the past two years.
“It was rough,” Hinzman said, laughing and shaking his head. “I had no idea really what I was doing. I was just kind of playing ball and hoping stuff didn't go wrong.”
While Hinzman was Ohio State’s starting center for the Buckeyes’ October 2023 game at Camp Randall Stadium, that 24-10 win in Madison came amid a roller-coaster first season in the lineup for the Wisconsin native. Thrust into starting duty a year earlier than expected after Luke Wypler entered the NFL draft, Hinzman struggled throughout the 2023 season, ultimately leading to his benching for the season-ending Cotton Bowl.
Now that he’s the experienced veteran of Ohio State’s offensive line, Hinzman returns to his home state as a far more confident player this time around.
“Two years ago, I mean, playing a lot more reactionary. I didn't really fully understand why things were going on or what was happening. I kind of had to rely a lot more on the guys around me,” Hinzman said. “But now it's a different position where I get to kind of step into a little bit more of a leadership role and have a lot of the guys kind of rely on me and what I'm looking at and how I can see what's happening and kind of diagnose that. So it's the same position, but completely different feel for the game.”
As a kid growing up in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, Hinzman never imagined he’d be on the opponent’s sideline at Camp Randall Stadium. Thinking back on his childhood, Hinzman recalled bringing a Wisconsin lunch pail to school and his mother painting Bucky Badger on the windows for his birthday.
Hinzman’s recruitment was a close battle between Ohio State and Wisconsin – so close that Hinzman called Joe Rudolph, Wisconsin’s offensive line coach at the time, with the intention of committing one night.
“We were coming back, I think it was from one of my sister's games or something like that, we were in the car, and I was almost committed there. I was like, ‘Well, let's call them,’ and it was like really, really late or something like that, and I don't think Coach Rudolph answered at the time. I was like, ‘You know what, maybe I'll think about it,’” Hinzman said. “The next day, I think we called them, I was like, ‘Oh, I was just thinking about something.’ But then it kind of went on, I thought about it more, and obviously committed here (to Ohio State).”
Having grown up a Wisconsin fan, Hinzman said it is “kind of hard” to see how much the Badgers have struggled this season. But that doesn’t mean he’ll show them any mercy on Saturday.
“I'm super pumped to go back and play over there,” Hinzman said. “I think I'm 1-1 there (at Camp Randall Stadium) right now from high school, we lost our state championship my freshman year, so got to beat .500.”
Hinzman expects a challenge from the Badgers even though they’ve lost four straight games, including a 37-0 loss to Iowa last week. In particular, Hinzman and the rest of the Buckeyes’ offensive line will need to step up in the running game – where Ohio State’s offense has had some struggles – as Wisconsin ranks in the top 20 nationally with just 97.5 rushing yards allowed per game.
“It's still gonna be a battle. I mean, that front seven's really good. And the way they play is a little bit different than guys we've played this season so far, so it'll be interesting,” Hinzman said. “They're a desperate team. Desperate teams are dangerous.”
That challenge is one that Hinzman is looking forward to, though, because it’s one he feels fully prepared for now, unlike two years ago. After starting last season as the backup to Seth McLaughlin, he finished the year as the starting center for a national championship team following McLaughlin’s season-ending Achilles tear. Now, Hinzman has become a player Ohio State feels it can fully rely on.
“He's become an excellent football player,” Ryan Day said. “His communication, he's playing with great confidence, he keeps everybody together up front. And I thought he's handled some of the environments he played in well so far this season, and we're going to need him here. But I know he's excited to go back to his home state and play well.”
“It's the same position, but completely different feel for the game.”– Carson Hinzman on the player he is now vs. two years ago
Hinzman expects to have more than 40 family members and friends in the stands for Saturday night’s game, and he’ll be looking to show them in person just how much he’s improved since the last time he played in his home state.
“I'm just excited to go and play with a lot more confidence than I had back then,” Hinzman said. “I have a lot of trust in what we’ve got going on here right now as an O-line group, and obviously we’ve got a lot of trust in our backfield, so I'm excited to go put it on the field and make it happen.”
