Experience. That’s what Ryan Day is banking on for Ohio State’s offensive line.
That’s what the Buckeyes invested in. Roster retention has always been a huge piece of their strategy in the NIL space, and with good reason after what unfolded in the offseason ahead of 2024 and the national championship that followed.
Many other positions on Ohio State’s roster took a different shape in the 2025 offseason. The Buckeyes sought out new, experienced contributors at safety, defensive tackle, defensive end, linebacker, wide receiver and tight end, with experienced depth pieces tacked on at a few other spots.
But on the offensive line, retention was the play. It was clear through the Buckeyes’ portal actions that they’d be leaning on their veterans to improve upon a disastrous end to the 2025 season from the position group, but Day laid it out in unambiguous terms on an offseason edition of his radio show on Friday. Ohio State spent its offensive line resources keeping what it already had in place this offseason.
“The portal really wasn’t in play there because it took everything we had to get the guys to come back,” Day said. “I think when you look at the offensive line just across the country, the last five years, experience is really important. When you see some of the guys who have now been in the program, so Carson (Hinzman is) into his fifth year, Luke Montgomery will be a senior, Josh Padilla is a senior, Austin Siereveld is a senior, Ian Moore is a junior, Gabe VanSickle is a junior. It’s really important to have this type of maturity in the offensive line.”
Carson Hinzman returns at center for Ohio State in 2026.
Ohio State added a drip of depth to its offensive line in former Dartmouth offensive tackle Vasean Washington, but the fifth-year senior is not expected to compete for a starting position.
What went wrong on the offensive line to close last season has been discussed time and time again on this site and elsewhere. The Buckeyes allowed 10 sacks in their final two games, five each against Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game vs. Indiana and the College Football Playoff quarterfinals vs. Miami. Issues with run game consistency that seemed erased at Michigan came back in a big way against the Hoosiers and Hurricanes.
To Day, however, there were still highlights for his offensive line in 2025. Ohio State did allow just six sacks in its 12 regular season games, at least.
“There’s a lot that I think played into that (the struggles against Indiana and Miami) that we’ve got to get better at,” Day said. “But for the majority of the year, we were strong. The rivalry game, these guys played their tail off. There was a lot of good play all season. You think about even early in the season with the Texas game. But with a whole nother offseason, we felt like we had enough there. We feel like we can go seven or eight deep. And we have some versatility right there.”
The limited quantity of and resulting premium to pay for offensive linemen in the transfer portal also played a role. One of the top linemen initially linked to Ohio State after he entered the portal, Colorado’s Jordan Seaton, commanded between $4 and 5 million from his eventual destination of LSU, per a report from Garland Gillen of Fox 8 New Orleans.
“When you look at some of the constraints that come with all that, we feel like when you look at where Austin was, when you look at Luke, when you look at Carson, that was solid all season,” Day said.
Siereveld, Montgomery and Hinzman return as starters for the Buckeyes in 2026, but a number of configurations are possible as Ohio State determines its best lineup. Right guard Tegra Tshabola left through the transfer portal, and that side, in particular, struggled last season.
“For the majority of the year, we were strong. The rivalry game, these guys played their tail off. There was a lot of good play all season.”– Ryan Day on Ohio State’s 2025 offensive line
Redshirt junior Phillip Daniels returns after starting at right tackle in 2025, but Day also talked up Moore as a candidate to start on the 2026 offensive line, as well. Moore made his first career start at right tackle against Purdue last season in place of an injured Daniels, then played first-team reps at left tackle on a massive stage after Siereveld sustained a first-half injury against Miami.
“It hurt not to have Austin for the majority of the game against Miami. But then Ian Moore came in, and when you watch the film, he did a good job for the most part,” Day said. We really feel like he was coming (along) all season. We’re excited about him next year and think that he can really give us something.”
There’s been a thought this offseason that Daniels could be best suited at guard. Day listed him as a guy who “needs to step up” alongside Padilla and VanSickle, who are also candidates to start at right guard. Siereveld moving back to guard isn't out of the question, though he excelled at tackle last year. Jake Cook also figures to be on the interior offensive line two-deep.
“We need Josh to really step up,” Day said. “We need Gabe to take the next step. And then we need Phillip Daniels to take the next step. Jake Cook has shown a lot of things for us.”
Day also expressed excitement about Ohio State’s five-man recruiting haul along the offensive line, which includes four-star prospects Sam Greer and Maxwell Riley and three-stars Tucker Smith, Mason Wilhelm and Landry Brede.
“Some of these young guys are gonna really push,” Day said. “There's some good guys in there. Now, it's hard to get on the field as a freshman. But the class that we signed, these five guys, we think are really good. And so excited to see them get their feet wet here in the spring.”
Ohio State invested in the experience it returns on the offensive line. The Buckeyes will need great returns in 2026 if they’re to finish the season stronger.
