Ohio State’s offensive line picture got even murkier heading into Northwestern, and Luke Montgomery is right at the center of it.
Montgomery is listed as questionable on the Big Ten availability report, and while no Buckeye has officially been ruled out yet, his status matters more than most. He’s been one of Ohio State’s better linemen, and if he can’t go, the staff may have to reshuffle the front again.
That would put more pressure on a unit that has already spent all season fighting through injuries and inconsistency. Phillip Daniels has been banged up for most of the year.
He came back for the Indiana game and immediately allowed Julian Sayin to get demolished, which knocked Sayin out for the rest of the season. Austin Siereveld missed a couple of games because of an illness, and Ian Moore was questionable last week against Oregon before ultimately playing.
Between the injuries and the uneven play, this group has been a constant issue.
If Montgomery is unavailable, Ohio State could be forced to turn back to Daniels. He did not start last week against Oregon, but the lineup would need to move around if Montgomery sits. The likely setup would have Daniels at right tackle and Siereveld at left guard.
That’s not a comfortable option for the Buckeyes. Daniels has built a reputation as the worst starter-level offensive lineman on the roster. He was better last season as a starter, though the final two games ended up being some of his roughest tape.
Even with all of that, Ohio State should not need Montgomery just to handle Northwestern. The bigger problem is that the offense has lost its burst since Sayin went down, and Luke Fahey needs as much protection as possible in the pocket. Taking Montgomery out of the mix only makes that harder.
The Buckeyes still need a real answer on offense, because the last two weeks have been among the worst offensive performances the program has had in the Ryan Day era. The defense hasn’t helped either, giving up 71 points over those two games.
There’s also uncertainty about what Arthur Smith can actually fix right now. He hasn’t gotten the running game going at all this season, even though that was supposed to be his strength. Instead, Ohio State has become one of the worst running teams in the country.
So the question isn’t just whether Montgomery can play. It’s whether Ohio State can put together an offensive plan that actually works well enough to score enough points to win. The one bit of relief is that Aidan Chiles is out, so Northwestern will also be using a backup quarterback.
For now, Montgomery remains questionable, and the Buckeyes will learn more later in the week. He wants to play and hasn’t given up on the season. But unless Ohio State gets sharper on both sides of the ball, his availability alone won’t solve much.
In Other News...
Ohio State Finally Made A Change Fans Saw Coming
Ohio State made the kind of midseason move fans had been expecting after a string of special teams breakdowns kept showing up at the worst possible moments. Robby Discher was fired after nine games, with the Buckeyes issues on that phase of the game becoming harder to ignore as penalties and momentum-swinging mistakes piled up in recent losses.
Ryan Day said there had simply been too many detrimental plays to keep things as they were, and the staff is now reshuffling responsibilities to finish the season. Senior analyst Rob Keys will oversee special teams the rest of the way, with other coaches taking on specific units, a sign that Ohio State is trying to steady one of the most frustrating parts of its operation before it costs them again. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Backup Quarterback Problem Just Got More Complicated
Justyn Martins role at Ohio State has become one of those quiet depth-chart stories that can suddenly matter a lot more than anyone expected. The fifth-year senior has not played this season, but with Julian Sayin sidelined, Martin is now listed as the third-string quarterback, and Ryan Day has already made it clear he likes what he has seen from him in practice. For a team that always has to be ready at quarterback, that kind of behind-the-scenes trust can carry real weight.
Martin has kept working alongside Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair, staying in the mix while the Buckeyes sort through their options. He has spoken confidently about the group and noted that Sayin remains supportive during his recovery, which only adds another layer to a situation that is still unfolding. For now, Martin is waiting for a chance that has not come yet, but the fact that Day is even floating game usage suggests Ohio States backup picture is far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Chip Kelly Is Suddenly Back In Ohio State's Offensive Picture
Chip Kellys name is back in the mix around Ohio State, and not just as a nostalgic footnote. The former Buckeyes assistant, now at Northwestern, has surfaced in conversations about offensive play-caller openings, with his past tie to the program giving the idea immediate credibility. For a staff that is always under the microscope, any movement on the offensive side tends to draw attention quickly, especially when it involves a coach with Kellys rsum and familiarity with the Ohio State environment.
The broader picture is still fluid, though, because Nebraska is also being linked to Kelly and may try to sell him on the stature of the job rather than a simple financial pitch. For Ohio State, the possibility seems tied to whether current staff changes open a path, which is why the chatter feels more like a developing subplot than a settled pursuit. Even so, the fact that Kelly is being discussed in that context says plenty about how quickly the Buckeyes offensive landscape can shift. [Read more 🡒]