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Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
No. 3 Ohio State still doing some shuffling along the offensive line ahead of opener vs. No. 1 Texas
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day says there's still some shuffling along the Buckeyes' offensive line ahead of their Aug. 30 season-opener. Some of that the coaches credited to a new emphasis this preseason: players learning primary and secondary positions. But as the third-ranked Buckeyes get closer to their matchup with top-ranked Texas, Day is hoping to lock in his frontline sooner rather than later. 'It's important as we get closer to this first game for guys to really dig in and get the majority of the snaps at where they're going to play,' Day said this week. Austin Siereveld, a third-year sophomore who entered preseason as the presumed starter at right tackle, has been working at left tackle over the past week. That's because Phillip Daniels, who transferred in January after two years at Minnesota, is in the running to start on the right side. Rice transfer Ethan Onianwa is the potential backup at either spot. He is also getting a look at guard, where Tegra Tshabola and Luke Montgomery finished last season as starters flanking Carson Hinzman at center. 'We'll see,' Day said. 'By the end of this week, we'll have more and more snaps, more and more information, and go from there.' Onianwa started 25 games at right tackle and nine at left tackle for Rice. 'I feel like it's kind of important for all the O-linemen to have experience in these positions because you never know how the season's going to progress, and that's just been kind of like the plan,' Onianwa said Tuesday. 'I've been playing guard, I've been playing tackle on both sides, and it's just a learning experience, and I'm enjoying every second of it.' Daniels redshirted in 2023 and played in 12 games last season for the Golden Gophers. If outsiders were surprised at his ascension, he indicated he is not. 'I know the plays now, so everything's just clicking,' Daniels said. 'Once I know the plays, I feel like I can kill anybody.' Offensive line coach Tyler Bowen, who is in his first season in Columbus after spending three at Virginia Tech, downplayed the significance of the movement to a certain degree, but he confirmed the staff is putting an emphasis on learning multiple positions. 'It's something we believe in, and that's a good example of it,' Bowen said of Siereveld's moving around. 'He's bounced to tackle. He's played guard. I think what you see up front, we do that a lot. Nothing's set in stone. We have a lot of versatility. We have some depth, but we've got to be able to perform at a high level on the spot we settle into, and that's what we've got to figure out this week. And we've got to figure it out fast.' While the starting lineup is still being determined, Day said he is happy about the depth up front with redshirt freshmen Gabe Van Sickle and Ian Moore making progress this month. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
No. 3 Ohio State still doing some shuffling along the offensive line ahead of opener vs. No. 1 Texas
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day says there's still some shuffling along the Buckeyes' offensive line ahead of their Aug. 30 season-opener. HT Image Some of that the coaches credited to a new emphasis this preseason: players learning primary and secondary positions. But as the third-ranked Buckeyes get closer to their matchup with top-ranked Texas, Day is hoping to lock in his frontline sooner rather than later. 'It's important as we get closer to this first game for guys to really dig in and get the majority of the snaps at where they're going to play,' Day said this week. Austin Siereveld, a third-year sophomore who entered preseason as the presumed starter at right tackle, has been working at left tackle over the past week. That's because Phillip Daniels, who transferred in January after two years at Minnesota, is in the running to start on the right side. Rice transfer Ethan Onianwa is the potential backup at either spot. He is also getting a look at guard, where Tegra Tshabola and Luke Montgomery finished last season as starters flanking Carson Hinzman at center. 'We'll see," Day said. "By the end of this week, we'll have more and more snaps, more and more information, and go from there.' Onianwa started 25 games at right tackle and nine at left tackle for Rice. 'I feel like it's kind of important for all the O-linemen to have experience in these positions because you never know how the season's going to progress, and that's just been kind of like the plan,' Onianwa said Tuesday. 'I've been playing guard, I've been playing tackle on both sides, and it's just a learning experience, and I'm enjoying every second of it.' Daniels redshirted in 2023 and played in 12 games last season for the Golden Gophers. If outsiders were surprised at his ascension, he indicated he is not. 'I know the plays now, so everything's just clicking,' Daniels said. 'Once I know the plays, I feel like I can kill anybody.' Offensive line coach Tyler Bowen, who is in his first season in Columbus after spending three at Virginia Tech, downplayed the significance of the movement to a certain degree, but he confirmed the staff is putting an emphasis on learning multiple positions. 'It's something we believe in, and that's a good example of it,' Bowen said of Siereveld's moving around. 'He's bounced to tackle. He's played guard. I think what you see up front, we do that a lot. Nothing's set in stone. We have a lot of versatility. We have some depth, but we've got to be able to perform at a high level on the spot we settle into, and that's what we've got to figure out this week. And we've got to figure it out fast.' While the starting lineup is still being determined, Day said he is happy about the depth up front with redshirt freshmen Gabe Van Sickle and Ian Moore making progress this month. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
As Ohio State football opens camp, who are its most intriguing players?
Ohio State opens training camp on July 31 with both plenty of talent and loads of inexperience. Most of the key players from last year's national championship team are in the NFL, leaving behind an Ohio State roster with many questions. Sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and junior safety Caleb Downs are perhaps the two best players in the country. Senior linebacker Sonny Styles is another proven star. But whether Ohio State can make another run at the national title will be determined by whether others emerge. Here is a list of the most intriguing players for the Buckeyes as they aim to repeat as national champions for the first time in school history: Ohio State QB Julian Sayin Sayin and redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz will battle for the quarterback job during camp. Sayin, a redshirt freshman, was ahead of Kienholz on the depth chart last year, so he's the presumptive favorite. Sayin is not Will Howard. At 6-1 and 210 pounds, he's shorter and lighter. Sayin also has a more laid-back personality than Howard, though he has plenty of inner fire. Related Ohio State sports: Ohio State football's 5 key position battles to watch in preseason practices What Sayin does have is an accurate arm and a quick release. He feels the pocket well and can make throws from all angles. Sayin isn't the powerful runner that Howard was, but he is capable of scrambling for first downs. Sayin was the top-rated quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class. He signed with Alabama before leaving when Nick Saban retired. Now he has a chance to become the latest in OSU's line of star quarterbacks. He (or Kienholz) will need to be if the Buckeyes are to make another playoff run. RB James Peoples With TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins gone, the Buckeyes need running backs to step up, and Peoples is at the top of the list. He impressed as a freshman last year and looks ready for a big role. Peoples doesn't have the speed of Henderson – few do – and is 15 pounds lighter than Judkins, but the Buckeyes feel good about him. Peoples runs hard and can make people miss. More Ohio State sports: Billy Price among 10 OSU athletes to be enshrined in school's hall of fame He won't have to do it alone. Ohio State wants to continue its tandem approach, and West Virginia transfer C.J. Donaldson ran for 32 touchdowns and over 2,000 yards in three years as a Mountaineer. Donaldson has shed weight since arriving at Ohio State but is still more of a power runner. LT Ethian Onianwa Donovan Jackson saved OSU's season in 2024 when he moved from left guard to left tackle following Josh Simmons' season-ending knee injury. Now Onianwa is poised to take over that critical spot protecting the quarterback's blind side. Onianwa comes from Rice, hardly a powerhouse, but Onianwa is a quality player. Many were surprised he didn't enter the NFL draft after the '24 season. He allowed only one sack and two pressures last year, according to Pro Football Focus. Like Donaldson, the 6-foot-6 Onianwa has dropped weight since his arrival, losing 30 pounds so that he now weighs around 330. He has impressed coaches and teammates not only with his physical ability but also with his work ethic and intelligence. He majored in bioengineering and sociology at Rice. TE Max Klare A year ago, the Buckeyes' tight end room was full of questions. Now it is among the deepest on the team, and Klare is the headliner. A potential All-American, Klare was a rare bright spot for a terrible Purdue team last year. The Cincinnati St. Xavier product caught 51 passes, more than double any other Boilermaker. His 685 receiving yards were 320 more than anyone else on the team. Klare joins a room that includes Will Kacmarek, Jelani Thurman and Bennett Christian. All should be able to carve out roles. DT Kayden McDonald Ty Hamilton didn't get the acclaim of others on Ohio State's defense last year, but he was vital to its success at nose guard. Now the Buckeyes need McDonald to fill that hole. The 326-pounder excelled in that role last year, especially in goal-line situations. But can he play at least 40-50 snaps per game and retain his effectiveness? Depth at defensive tackle is one of the team's biggest questions. The Buckeyes need McDonald to be both effective and durable. DEs Beau Atkinson and Logan George Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are huge losses at defensive end, but the Buckeyes feel pretty good about having experienced backups Kenyatta Jackson and Caden Curry take over as starters. The bigger question is who can provide solid play along with them. Transfers Beau Atkinson and Logan George are possibilities. Atkinson led North Carolina with 7½ sacks and 25 pressures last year as a redshirt sophomore. Buy Ohio State posters, books, gear from CFP title win George is making the leap from Idaho State, where he had a Big Sky Conference-leading 18½ tackles for a loss, including 6½ sacks, a year ago. Idaho State played a 3-3-5 defense, so George has to adjust to OSU's four-man defensive front. But the early returns from spring practice were promising. Another name to watch is C.J. Hicks, the former five-star linebacker who has shifted to edge rusher. LB Arvell Reese Reese played well as OSU's third linebacker last year, totaling 43 tackles. With Cody Simon gone, Reese will be a full-time player this year alongside Styles. He has the size and athletic ability to become a star. Linebackers coach James Laurinaitis marveled at Reese's talent during the spring. If Reese can tap into that consistently, he and Styles could form the best linebacker duo in the country. CB Davison Igbinosun The senior cornerback is fearless, confident and physical. His swagger set the tone for the secondary since his arrival as a transfer from Ole Miss two years ago. There is just one major flaw in his game. Aggressiveness is fine, but he must learn not to cross the line. He was flagged for pass interference 19 times (three were declined) in 2024. For offenses facing third-and-long, it became a smart play to throw in his direction and hope for a penalty. Igbinosun even took to wearing mittens in practice to try to tame his aggressiveness. With Denzel Burke gone, Igbinosun must be the leader on a unit that includes Jermaine Mathews Jr., Aaron Scott and five-star freshman Devin Sanchez. Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts. Ohio State football beat writer Bill Rabinowitz can be reached at brabinowitz@ or on bluesky at billrabinowitz@ This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Which Ohio State football players need to step up in 2025?
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Black Stripe Alert! Transfer portal addition sheds black stripe
One of the biggest off-season acquisitions from the transfer portal has lost his black stripe. In building a new offensive line, Ohio State looked to the portal for linemen who could dominate in the trenches right away and the Buckeyes believe they got one in Rice transfer Ethan Onianwa. A three-star prospect coming out of high school in Katy, Texas, Onianwa quickly became a dominant force for the Owls. Entering the portal after four years at Rice, he was rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 13 ranked tackle, but most think he ranked higher. ESPN's Tom Luginbil said of Onianwa "He's the best offensive lineman in the portal and it's not even close." The mountain of a man could have entered the NFL draft but decided he wanted to get a bit more development and possibly increase his draft status, similar to Josh Simmons who transferred in from San Diego State and is expected to be a first-round pick. The offensive tackle has just one year of eligibility remaining. Onianwa is already seeing the benefits of coming to Columbus. Since arriving on campus he's cut 30 pounds from his playing weight at Rice. After just a few months with the Ohio State strength and conditioning coaches, he looks lighter on his feet while still maintaining his size and strength advantage. Advertisement Onianwa becomes the second transfer to shed his black stripe this spring joining Purdue transfer Max Klare. This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Black Stripe Alert! Ohio State offensive tackle sheds black stripe
