Ohio State’s offensive line picture for the next two seasons looks awfully stable on paper, and that alone is enough to calm a lot of Buckeyes fans. The bigger question is what happens behind the scenes, because the whole setup comes with a very real asterisk.
As Cleveland.com’s Stephen Means put it on the latest episode of Buckeye Talk, “Every single starter for the next 24 months for Ohio State is already on the roster." That’s the kind of line that makes a fan base exhale. For 2026, the group includes third-team Phil Steele Preseason All-American left guard Luke Montgomery, who is out of eligibility after this coming fall.
There’s more uncertainty after that, though. Right guard/potential returning left tackle Austin Siereveld and center Carson Hinzman could also be headed for the NFL after the season. Even so, the long-range depth chart looks stocked with names like potential LT1/utility OL Ian Moore, center/guard Joshua Padilla, right tackle/IOL Phillip Daniels, right guard Gabe VanSickle, and potential future franchise tackle Sam Greer.
Still, Andrew Gillis of Cleveland.com made the bigger point: “It’s more about, like. Ohio State under Ryan Day just can’t figure out the offensive line."
That’s the catch. The Buckeyes may have a two-year runway to be elite up front, but that window only matters if Arthur Smith stays in place.
And that leads to the real issue hanging over the 2026 season: is Smith in Columbus to settle in, or is this just a stop on the way back to the NFL? If it’s the latter, Ohio State could end up in a Brian Hartline-style situation at season’s end, where everything Smith built gets wiped away by the postseason and Day takes back over.
That possibility matters because Day has shown a stubborn streak as a play-caller. At times, he has gone away from what his teams do best when the pressure is highest.
It’s not hard to imagine him trying to force the RB platoon Smith puts together in late-season games while the Buckeyes’ receivers - Jeremiah Smith, Chris Henry Jr., and the rest of that group - sit there waiting for the ball. That’s the kind of scenario that would make any Ohio State fan uneasy.
If Smith is truly committed to the job, though, the upside is obvious. The Buckeyes could spend the next two seasons with one of the most reliable offensive lines in the country, not just in flashes but from start to finish. With the skill talent Day keeps bringing in and a play-caller who leans into heavy personnel and a punishing run game, the ingredients are there for something bigger.
There’s also Tyler Bowen working as the OL coach, and the source material points to him as a talented industry riser. Add in the talent already on hand and a culture that’s described as a step above other blue bloods, and the ceiling gets hard to ignore.
That’s the dream scenario in Columbus: the line grows into Smith’s style, the offense leans into its strength, and Ohio State becomes as complete as it looks on paper. The only thing Buckeyes fans can really hope for now is that Smith stays long enough to make it real.
In Other News...
Ohio States 2027 Five Star Picture May Not Stay This Simple
DJ Jacobs gives Ohio State an early anchor in the 2027 class, and the Buckeyes have to like the shape of that commitment. The EDGE rusher brings the kind of physical profile that plays in Columbus, with the ability to get after the passer while also holding up against the run, which is exactly the sort of versatility the staff keeps chasing on the defensive front.
For now, the picture looks simple enough with one five-star already in the fold, but recruiting rarely stays that way for long. Ohio State has positioned itself well with another top target in the same cycle, and the next few days could determine whether this class starts to look like a one-headline story or something a lot more imposing. [Read more 🡒]
Julian Sayin Faces The Real Test Of His Heisman Hype
Julian Sayins first season as Ohio States starter already put him in rare air. The freshman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-Big Ten passer in 2025, then guided the Buckeyes through an undefeated regular season and all the way into the Heisman conversation as a finalist. He did not win the trophy, but the buzz has carried over into the offseason, where he is already sitting among the betting favorites for 2026.
The next step, though, looks a lot harder than the last one. Ohio States schedule gives Sayin little room to coast, with Texas arriving early and road trips to Iowa, Indiana and USC mixed in with home dates against Oregon and Michigan. For Sayin to stay in the Heisman race, the Buckeyes likely need him still in the mix deep into the fall, with the kind of steady production and late-season momentum that keeps voters looking his way when the biggest games arrive. [Read more 🡒]