Ohio State’s offensive line philosophy and its most valuable piece: Buckeye Talk podcast

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Could Ohio State be adopting a new offensive line philosophy?

Tyler Bowen is taking over the position at a pivotal time, needing to replace a handful of starters, but the group still has plenty of experience. There’s a chance that this spring he could be building a depth of options that could allow for an approach OSU isn’t necessarily new to, but could do from a place of strength for the first time ever.

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik discuss the potential of that approach and why one player holds the key to its success.

Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk.

Read the automated transcript of today’s podcast below. Because it’s a computer-generated transcript, it may contain errors and misspellings.

Stephen Means (00:55.904)

Welcome back to What I Talk. I’m Stephen Means and that’s the font. Christ, Nick Andrew is off seeing a recruit because Ohio State continues to be busy on the recruiting trail. They’ve got three. They’ve got two commitments this week and one shutdown of a recruitment from Chris Henry Jr. They got Blaine Bradford, the five star safety at Louisiana on Monday. And then on Thursday, while we were in the Woody talking with the offensive line, they got Simeon Caldwell, the top 100 linebacker slash safety.

out of Florida, who also just so happens to be Tim Walton’s cousin, not cousin, nephew, excuse me. So there’s some family ties there as well. He’s the number nine commitment in that class. We did a video on YouTube. Go look at that. Just type in book. talk on YouTube and you’ll find our channel. Andrew and I talking about that. We’ll probably talk about that more next week. But we talked to the big boys, Stefan on Thursday afternoon. And I we’re going to go super short with this mainly because

I felt like Stefan was us asking a lot of the same questions we’ve been asking of Ryan Day the last couple of weeks when it comes to the offensive line. And we’re 24 hours as people are listening to this pod from seeing how much of this is real, how much of this isn’t. But this idea of cross training guys, it’s not new. How’s they’s done this in the past. But the way Tyler Bowen described it, literally everybody who isn’t a true freshman or named Ethan Owen,

because that’s what Ryan Day said is working at multiple spots. And it’s because they’re just trying to throw as much as guys as possible to see what they have and where they have it. And it feels funneled through Austin Cereveld more than literally anybody else. Because as Tyler Bowen said, Austin Cereveld is playing everywhere but center, right?

Stefan Krajisnik (02:45.092)

Yeah, I think we saw, you know, in the, couple hours of open practices that we had at the start of the spring, you know, the thing that immediately immediately popped was Austin Servile playing left tackle. Then it kind of sparked this conversation of we saw what happened last year with Donovan Jackson. It doesn’t hurt to cross train some guys and have some guys ready, you know, in different roles if their numbers called, even if they’re not, you know, starting there when, week one against Texas arrives. It’s been happening, I think maybe more than we thought.

that first practice or two, right? Like we thought, okay, Austin is several is getting some reps at left tackle. Well, he’s telling us that he’s working 50 50 between left tackle and right tackle. Ian Moore playing both tackle spots. You know, guys are moving all over the offensive line. And like you said, with the exception of the true freshmen and Ethan Awanyiwa. So

I don’t know. It’s probably unfair to say this is like we can’t name this the Donovan Jackson thing because Tyler Bowen said he’s done it at previous stops like he did it while he was the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. So, you know, Ohio State’s done it in the past, but I think we saw how important it was with Donovan Jackson last year and the situation you can end up with if a few injuries come up and things don’t go your way. So maybe we can just.

You have to name it after someone at some point and maybe we can be the first ones to name it after Donovan Jackson. But it’s, is a team that has emphasized something and saw the importance of it in action. And now it’s easy, I think, to portray that message to other guys. I think it’s easy to tell guys, Hey, just cause you’re not working a hundred percent at right guard. That doesn’t mean that you’re not going to win the right guard starting battle. Like Austin Cereveld.

could very well be this team starting right guard. Him working at left tackle does not eliminate him from that conversation. it’s just, it’s funny to just watch it all kind of unfold since Donovan Jackson had to step in at left tackle because now it seems like Ohio State’s at the forefront of this crazy idea when in reality there’s a lot of programs that are probably doing it. But Ohio State’s a team that won a national championship in the midst of it. And it’s a point of emphasis, no doubt, especially like

Stefan Krajisnik (04:57.922)

In a spring where Ohio State’s not doing a whole ton, right? Like we know that some practices have gotten, you know, chippy and ramped up a bit. And maybe we’ll see some of that Saturday. Maybe we’ll see some of that in the spring game, but for the most part, it’s been fairly, you know, easy going, I guess would be the best word just because this is a team that played, you know, less than two and a half months ago. So they’re, you know, they’re, they’re holding back a little bit, but this is something that you can get out of it is that it lets you kind of rotate and experiment.

and maybe not get any answers, but maybe get some, I guess, a picture of what things will look like when, you know, that first week of August rolls in.

Stephen Means (05:34.732)

It’s because it doesn’t matter who’s gonna win the right guard job.

Tyler Bowen got asked about, you have any number of starters? He’s like, I don’t want to get into that right now because they didn’t have to get into that necessarily to the Donovan Jackson point. They want a Natty, so it’s the Donovan Jackson thing. But they had 2021. They did this with Matthew Jones, where he was rotating in with Paris Johnson and Thayer Munford at the time at the two guard spots. So some of that was health stuff. But again, that’s what Donovan Jackson was playing left tackle is because of health stuff.

Stefan Krajisnik (05:52.825)

Right.

Stephen Means (06:09.058)

But it’s just the idea of it being a plan and not a reaction is fascinating to me because it’s just it’s not the way we think about offensive line. We look at offensive line the way we look at quarterback where it’s like, no, this is your starters. These are your backups. You play these guys. If you have 70 offensive plays, the starters are going to be out there for 70 offensive plays unless something crazy happens. And now.

because of this 16 given 17 game season because of the injuries Ohio State had on the offensive line last year because they’ve developed such depth on the interior while also Austin servile all of a sudden. Oh wait, he can play tackle.

Do you like it? I guess for it’s spring like we they can say all this right now and then we get the Texas game and they find a starting five where the Ethan Ethan Owen Yawas are left tackle and Carson Hinsman their center and then the other three positions are whatever they are and they play all 70 snaps. But are you starting to wonder whether this is actually more than just lip service and they play Texas and eight different guys play meaningful snaps against Texas.

Stefan Krajisnik (07:22.116)

I like the idea. I’ve been supportive of the rotation of the offensive line these last couple of months because I don’t think it’s a ludicrous idea because we just saw it in action. We saw it help a team win a national championship. So at the very least, I like the idea of being prepared for it. Right? Like I’m not opposed to getting to August. And if you’re going into week one, like I understand Ethan Owen, Yawa’s got NFL prospects and he can be

You don’t NFL guy, but like if he’s still kind of working into it and he’s having to, you know, he’s, he’s spent a lot of time this spring kind of just getting his body right. If he’s still, you know, working into it, why not that Texas game have him and, know, whether it’s Sarah Valley or more, whoever it be, you know, share some reps that love tackle, right? This is, this this schedule is just so fascinating because you have such a big game week one that I know we say it’s, it’s not a must win game, but

You know, when you’re in it, it’s going to, you know, once you get there, it’s going to feel like, all right, got to win this game. And then you’ve got the schedule easing up a bit. Like. Do you have to have starters for Texas and then experiment against Ohio and Grambling and whoever else they have on the schedule? Or can you rotate and experiment against a bit against Texas too? And maybe you win that game, maybe you lose that game, but then you can kind of keep experimenting for the next three or four weeks. And, and I don’t know, I really want to see how they do it because I’m not opposed to it. Like.

What are your thoughts on it? Do you think whoever starts at left tackle that Texas game has to play? Barring any garbage time every rep at left tackle for Ohio State against Texas.

Stephen Means (09:03.704)

think it’s a wonderful fall camp question of because I do think having to play potentially number one, number two matchup to start the season throws a wrench and some things because you just kind of hinted at it. There’s getting through the Texas game and then there’s what you can do with Granley State and OU before you go to a buy. Right. That’s it almost are they going to rotate guys on September 6 and September 13th? Yes, I’m just going to go ahead and.

Have that take up. Sure. I’m expecting to see 10 different guys play offensive line.

But also we live in a world where it’s a 12 team playoff. And if you lose that Texas game, your season’s still not on the line. Right. I mean, this team lost the best team on their schedule last year. They lost to their other regular season and then they lost a rivalry game and they still made the playoff. So now that you don’t live in this world where you need to have it figured out every single week, because if you don’t, then your season is over before it gets started.

I am a little bit more open to it, but I am wondering. I hate that. I really hate that they’re playing Texas. I don’t like week one high key because you just don’t know anything. You don’t. It’s a lot of sloppy football week one across the board because you haven’t tackled anybody in eight months. You’re working stuff out and you’re just not getting the true evaluation of what your team is. I really wish this game was the follow.

Stefan Krajisnik (10:30.348)

It’s, it’s also like, it’s so hard to have a plan to, if that happens, because you could say, okay, Ethan Owen, I was just starting left tackle and we’re going to work some things. And then he struggles against Texas. And you tell yourself, okay, well, we’re sticking to the script. It gets really loud in this place when you lose week one against Texas. And there’s going to be people who are going to be done with either no Owen, you know, if he struggles against Texas and you have to have a very strong foundation, very strong culture, which I think Ohio state has, but it has to be very strong to look at Ethan Owen now and say,

Stephen Means (10:42.178)

Yeah.

Stephen Means (10:46.946)

Yeah.

Stefan Krajisnik (11:00.324)

I know you struggled and I know everyone wants several to not be the starting left tackle, but we’re going to keep rotating you guys like we plan against Grambling in Ohio. And when we get to Washington, it’s still going to be like it’s going to be hard to. It’s hard to do that when you got that game week one.

Stephen Means (11:14.52)

You just right. Because you. If as a coach, you probably want to lean towards safe and security and what do you trust to get through that moment? And then you can get all experimental, but.

I mean, Austin Cirovall being iron buck eyes and interesting, especially because of who he’s an iron book. I with he’s an iron book. I with the best player in college football and a guy where BFS been putting out their annual list of best guys are returning at each position. Sonny Styles was like six amongst the linebacker. So that’s two of the best 50 players in college football and Austin Cirovall. Right. If I didn’t tell you, you’re learning still about some of these cultureistic things. But if you look that

that list and you see the best player in college football and one of the 10 best linebackers in college football, you’re probably thinking to yourself, Steph, okay, being an iron book, I is a pretty big deal. That means you’re one of the best players in the country, not just on this team. Well, if Austin Ceravel’s in that world, and this is a guy where you got him repping at four different positions and we get to week one and the plan is here’s our starting five. And then you might look out there.

And the second series, Austin, Sarah, Val’s playing right guard. The third series, Austin, Zara, Val’s playing right tackle. The seventh series, Austin, Sarah, Val’s playing left tackle. I no longer hate it. I will prefer for the record. We never hated it. Andrew hated it. But I am now team. Rotate your offensive line. If Austin, Sarah, who I thought physically looked pretty good today. That’s the one thing with offensive lineman, you can kind of see the physical growth.

consistently because they’re so big and kind of trying to keep unrealistic weight standards of somehow make six foot five 320 pounds look like you’re in shape, which is just not realistic. I thought he looked like a dude where if you told me he’s going to play 25 pass reps against Colin Simmons, I’d be like, okay, cool.

Stefan Krajisnik (13:21.228)

it could also in several have the most. I’ll keep the Hinsman out of this conversation just because he’s just I think he’s gonna be the starting center and that’s not in several not working on center. So let’s take center out of this. Let’s look at the other 10 positions on offense. Could Austin Sarah Bell have the most snaps played without having the most snaps played at one position like he won’t have the most snaps at left tackle. He won’t have the most snaps at left guard.

Stephen Means (13:30.626)

Yeah. Yeah.

Stefan Krajisnik (13:49.125)

Won’t have the most that right guard won’t have the most that right tackle, but he’s got more snaps played than Tegra Shabola. He’s got more snaps played than Luke Montgomery. Like I think that that could happen. I think it would be very fascinating, but it’s like.

I think we saw last year that Tegra Shibola started playing better when he wasn’t playing a million reps. And maybe he’s more prepared for that this year. I’m open to that. But it’s like, if that’s the case, we see defensive ends play better in the fourth quarter if they’re not playing a million snaps in the first quarter. Like could it happen with offensive line? Could Tegra Shibola get some reps off in the first quarter and then boom in the second quarter is Luke Montgomery that comes off and then

it’s late second quarter. Now Ethan Owen now was coming like it’s a crazy concept just because no one’s like done it. But if you got a guy like Austin, Sarah veiled the thing to me is just seeing him at left tackle to start a spring. was one thing because it was just like, okay, they’re just, you know, they’re being prepared just in case this dude winning iron buck guy and being such a voice in the room. I just really struggled to think he’s not going to have a massive role with this team come August, September.

Stephen Means (15:04.288)

You don’t do all this and then play 214 snaps. That’s just not how this works.

Stefan Krajisnik (15:08.044)

Right. And maybe it’s as simple as him being the starting right guard. Maybe he just beats out Tegra Shibola and that’s where we see him all year. I’m open to that. But like with his versatility, there’s just, he kind of seems to be this like master key that they can just use in so many ways.

Stephen Means (15:17.966)

Yeah.

Stephen Means (15:26.008)

Which is why when we just say, Donovan Jackson did it. And so now they have a new idea. I think that’s just not giving it credit to them trying to maximize their personnel. Right. Donovan Jackson was awesome at left tackle, but it’s, it’s, just seems like Austin Cerebell, which Tyler Bowen said across the board, he has not had a lot of a situated missed opportunities or mistakes, regardless of what position he’s playing.

This is not a reaction to Donovan Jackson had to play left tackle for the last six or seven games of the year. And it worked. This is a reaction to Austin. Sarah veld played 40 snaps against Oregon 40, 17 snaps against Texas. Cause he wasn’t fully healthy and 27 snaps against Notre Dame.

where he was flip flopping back and forth between left guard and right guard breakdown by position. Against Tennessee, he played 27 snaps at left guard, 19 snaps at right guard against Oregon. He played 28 snaps at left guard, 12 snaps at right guard. He only played 17 snaps against Texas and they were all at right guard rotating with Tegra Shibola. And then he played 27 snaps in the national championship game rotating with Tegra Shibola. Cause again, I think he was just hurt.

The first two playoff games are a better indication of how they viewed Austin Ceravel than the last two ones where it’s a combination of him being hurt, but also Luke Montgomery trying to plan like a dude. I think it’s a reaction to that. It’s a reaction to Austin Ceravel and going, buddy, we might have something here. He might not be a starter in the terms of he’s the guy who’s out there for the first offensive snap every single game, but I’m with you. There is a world.

where he might lead this offensive line and snaps and he is, it’s sprinkled. Let’s just say he plays 600 snaps next year. I don’t even know how much, how much is the most that an offensive lineman played? The most snaps by an offensive lineman was Donovan Jackson. Okay, so let’s 1816. So let’s just say Austin Ceravell plays.

Stefan Krajisnik (17:37.624)

Probably Josh Fryer, no?

Stephen Means (17:40.622)

Yeah, actually he played 928 different because he didn’t miss any games. That’s what he was just out there. So let’s just say the most of a returning guys tech where he played 774. So let’s just say. Austin Cerebell plays 800 snaps next year, but it’s. 200 at left tackle 200 at left guard 200 at right guard 200 at right tackle.

I’m with it because in it also what that does is instead of Ethan Owen, Yawa plan, 800 snaps that left tackle. He played 600 snaps and whoever it Carson Hensman. I mean, that’s a different conversation. That’s like a Carson Hensman, Josh Perdue compensation. But instead of Luke Montgomery plan, 800 snaps that left guard or a right guard, he played 600 and on down the list there. Not only does it maximize your group, maybe it gets you to the finish line.

with your top seven still healthy instead of being at the Rose Bowl where you’re starting center and starting left tackle or on the sideline and street clothes.

Stefan Krajisnik (18:43.566)

Yeah, I struggled to think that in this new college football playoff era where Ryan Day spent so much time last season talking about, you know, wanting to keep the running backs fresh and the receivers fresh and the defensive ends fresh and lineback like why just because traditionally offensive lines are five guys and those five guys are out there. I struggled to think that Ryan Day goes into Tyler Bowen’s office or last year, Justin Fry’s office and says,

Hey, all this stuff about keeping eyes fresh. It’s a long season. doesn’t apply to your room. Don’t worry about it. I struggled to believe that. And I think a guy like Austin Sarraveld is such an X factor in that conversation for Iowa state. just, there’s just, there can’t be a world in which he has this off season. He talked about how the day after the, the national championship game, or maybe it was the day after the celebration. can’t remember. He kind of sat down and talked to coaches and like was like, these are the things that I have to do.

Stephen Means (19:24.706)

because

Stefan Krajisnik (19:41.379)

These are the things I want to do. He very clearly to me, we didn’t talk about him and we maybe still aren’t talking about him as like a potential captain, right? Like we’ve said, okay, we think Sonny styles is going to be what’s up. Yeah. Cause we were talking about, you know, Sonny styles is probably a captain and then, know, Carson Hensman’s maybe in that conversation and Brandon Innis, he’s been a leader. Does Jeremiah Smith take a step as Caleb Downs ready to be a captain? Like we talked about all.

Stephen Means (19:51.95)

We probably should be at this point.

Stefan Krajisnik (20:08.408)

And Austin Cereveld didn’t get brought up in that conversation. I think we might’ve even brought up Luke Montgomery. I don’t know if we were talking about Austin Cereveld. I think right now I’d probably pencil him in. I would maybe say Sonny and Austin Cereveld are the two guys I’m most confident in being captains right now. Because that’s the type of off season we’ve seen from Cereveld. He has forced himself to be part of this conversation. He has forced himself to be in a spot where we can’t talk about this offensive line without mentioning him in any role.

Stephen Means (20:23.863)

He-

Stephen Means (20:41.954)

He’s a good driving the bus candidate at this point. And to your point of what day is talking about with the keeping guys fresh, it worked at literally every other position. Offensive line was the only position that was compromised when they got to the college football playoff. Now we’re guys a hundred percent. Of course not. Right. The Jeremiah JJ had a little hamstring thing going on, but it didn’t keep him from being JJ. Right. Like everybody else for the most part.

Will had the knot on his hand, but it didn’t really impact anything. And there’s guys who are in braces and stuff like that. And what happened with JT in the last two games with the ankle injury, that’s a freak accident, but there was nothing holding this team back and literally every other spot, but the offensive line to the point that I’m looking at the play counts. Ohio State played in the last game of the regular of the entire season and they were tied for eighth in total place. They had 989 plays. UTSA played 999 and there were six other teams who played over a thousand plays.

I’m assuming Ohio State’s going to play less than a thousand plays this year if they play 16 games, because that’s just how they might operate for things. To your point, though, about Austin Cerebell being a captain. So there’s a picture going around of there being a team meeting and they’re doing typical stuff. I’m not going to say what they were doing, but first of all, it’s always cool to see who’s sitting in your seat. Like, who do you who’s your seat buddy? Because we’re in there, obviously, doing it for press conferences and then the team is in there doing.

press conferences. You wanna know who you share a with? You share a seat with Ty Womelone. Yeah, nobody sits next to Ty Womelone. Stefan sits next to Bill Landis and then me. He sits in between us. Now, he used to mine. Nobody’s in Bill’s seat. According to this picture, there’s nobody in Bill’s seat. I share a seat with CJ Hicks.

Stefan Krajisnik (22:14.766)

I would love to know.

Stefan Krajisnik (22:18.564)

Alright.

Stefan Krajisnik (22:26.03)

Who’s who’s who elsey?

To Mercy!

Stefan Krajisnik (22:35.278)

That’s the most fitting thing possible.

Stephen Means (22:37.166)

I know, I know it is. was hoping your seat would be Arvel Reese, but he’s in the row behind us next to JJ. He’s next to Jay. You want to know is there’s a series of seats. That’s Julian sand, Arvel Reese, Jeremiah Smith in the third row. It’s hilarious. Front row, front row is the most important. That’s your leaders. That’s always your leaders. All of your captains come from this road. Not everybody in the row is a captain, but this is a good, if you’re a captain, you’re in the front row.

Stefan Krajisnik (22:43.948)

I’m worth it.

Stephen Means (23:08.13)

Kayden Curry, Luke Montgomery, Sonny Styles, Carnell Tate, Caleb Downs, Davidson Ibn Nosen, Austin Syravild, Kenyatta Jackson, Carson Hinsman are in the front row. Brandon Ennis is not though, I am assuming the seat that’s open, the seat that you’re asking is Bill Ennis’ is probably Brandon Ennis, because I don’t see him in the photo and that dude’s like captain material. So I would assume he’s in the second row, but that’s your front row.

Carson Hinsman, Kenyatta Jackson, Austin Cereveld, Davidson Ibn Nosen, Caleb Downs, Cardinal Tate, Sonny Stiles, Luke Montgomery, and Kayden Curry. That sounds right to me. That from that list, maybe there’s your captains. And once again, there’s Austin Cereveld right there in the mix of everything. I don’t know if I was coming into the spring thinking Austin Cereveld was going to be this important. And back when he started in place of Donovan Jackson to start the year, I was a little shocked by that.

But he has. I think I’ve overlooked him a lot of his career because he was a lower rated recruited guy, but his recoup became down to Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State. If that matters more to me than the number so.

His role is maybe allowing Ohio State to do something that’s a little abnormal, but it might be for the best of the room. But also, I don’t know, someone’s going to look at him on draft day and go, you played high level snaps at four out of the five offensive line positions. I’ll take you with the 67th pick in the NFL draft. I like that team Austin, Sierra belt over here. Now I’m all, I’m all in on Austin, Sarah belt.

Stefan Krajisnik (24:46.788)

And another thing too that can tell you about the leadership aspect of it is the way that other guys talk about him, not just Tyler Bowen, but I’m actually about to send this out to her texture as I asked. think it was Ian Moore, Devontae Armstrong, and one more guy in there. I can’t remember who it was now, it’s off my head. Just about, know, Sarah Veld, what it means for him to be an Iron Buck guy, what he means to that room. guys got, Carson Henson, I think was the third guy talking about it. Like those guys got a ton of respect.

For Austin, Sarahville, think Ian Moore was talking about like, he’s a guy who the rest of the offensive line looks up to. They’re motivated by the way he works. It’s like, I think Ian Moore said he’s not like the type of guy that’ll go like yell in your face, but he’ll pull aside a young guy and like, let him know like, you got to do this. You got to do that. Like he is very clearly a voice in that room. And we probably weren’t talking enough about him, you know, in February when we were previewing the spring and he’s probably one of the winners of the spring. And I guess the iron buck, I kind of tells you.

Stephen Means (25:17.421)

Hmm.

Stefan Krajisnik (25:45.773)

all you need to know there, but that’s a dude who’s really respected in his room. And, and Carson Hensman also let us know that his nickname is piggy based on his fortnight name. So someone had asked, I don’t want to, it was either like Austin ward, maybe Joey call someone asked about, about Austin Cerville and Hensman just started talking about it. He’s like, yeah, I mean, piggy, man, he’s great. And we were like, wait, wait, what’d you just call him? They were like, yeah, his name is piggy. That pulled all, Carson aside. I was like,

Stephen Means (26:09.098)

Hehehehehe

Stefan Krajisnik (26:13.528)

Where did that come from? was like, yeah, that was his Fortnite username. So there you go. I pitched the idea in a video to, you know, like the Jack position is kind of this hybrid of like linebacker and defensive and piggy is just, if you can play every spot on the offensive line, you get the piggy title.

Stephen Means (26:24.27)

The piggy position.

Stephen Means (26:34.318)

You should talk to her about that.

Stefan Krajisnik (26:34.626)

You passed, you passed, but I think you’re coming around on the idea.

Stephen Means (26:37.782)

I mean, yeah, now I’ve had some time to think about it. So I respect it for the record. Max Clair, I think is the furthest to the front of the transfers. He’s in the second row. I’m just fascinated by the picture now. Yeah. I just.

Stefan Krajisnik (26:49.816)

Yeah, I’m looking at the same picture you are. It’s of tough to see.

Stephen Means (26:56.718)

Austin Ceravel is a fascinating guy at this point. And maybe in a way that, again, I will always admit if I’ve overlooked a guy. I said it with Tidy Williams. I overlooked him. He ended up being a freaking dude the last two years. And now I’m hammering that he should be a first round draft pick. I have no problem admitting when I’m wrong. I also just am not wrong a lot. It just kind of comes with the territory of things. I’m totally joking. I’m totally joking. But I just...

He’s in it. He’s in. I just feel like everything about the offensive line flows to Austin Sarah in one way or another. OK, let’s take a break. That was 30 minutes of Austin Sarah Bell talk. I don’t even think I’m going to talk about Jeremiah Smith that.

But let’s.

Stefan Krajisnik (27:37.636)

Jeremiah, listen, he’s not playing four spots on the offensive line.

Stephen Means (27:40.896)

No, he’s not. He’s not. He’s not doing that. He’s not. He’s only got three spots. He can play, but he’s not playing for. That’s a good point. Let’s take a break and then we’ll wrap up offensive line talk. Just some interesting things. Maybe we heard from other guys here on.

And we’re back here on Buckeye Talk. Stephen Means and Stefan Kreisnick. Andrew is out talking to recruits, you know, heading up that side of things because Ohio State seems to be on a heater on the recruiting trail. They’re up to nine commits and that includes two this week. And I feel like they’ve had like five in the past 20 days or something like that. But that’s what happens when you win national championships, man. Everybody wants to come play for you all of a sudden. It’s crazy how that works out. Get the text six one four three five zero three one five two week free trial. Three ninety nine. After that, Stefan, I don’t.

I don’t know if a lot of information came out at offensive line day because they have options. They might play a bunch of those options and Tyler Bowen. I think this is the first time you physically gotten a chance to be standing next to him as a large human being. But what I did notice is a lot of guys telling us that their weights on the spring roster. Def chart was just completely off.

Carter low is listed at 361 pounds, I think. And no, he’s listed at six for six, 341 pounds. And he goes, yeah, that’s the way that I was when I got here because we were just traveling around and eating and not really doing anything else because you don’t have an early enrollee and my team is playing for a national title. I’m down like 20 pounds from that. And he looks at Carter low looks like their future starting left tackle. I I’m just, I can I

Can I grab an early bus here and say that 2026 starting left tackle is Carter Lowe because that kid looks it. He looks like what a starting left tackle at Ohio State is supposed to look like.

Stefan Krajisnik (29:34.35)

Yeah, they the offensive line room as a whole it felt like had an outstanding, you know, a couple months there and the off season in terms of the weight room like all these dudes look look in great shape. And I think what’s interesting is like.

Between the transfers and the returning guys, we kind of have a vision of what this offensive line will look like. Some combination of like, you know, six or seven guys are going to make up the starting five whenever you get there. And I think we kind of know who they are. But a lot of this offensive line behind those guys is very young and very inexperienced. You talk about Carter Lowe, the Armstrong brothers, like there’s a lot. mean, Ian Moore, like.

Stephen Means (30:09.368)

Yeah. Yeah.

Stefan Krajisnik (30:15.78)

He’s in that conversation of like six to eight guys within the start, like relatively inexperienced, relatively young, like all of these guys that we didn’t see a ton of in terms of playing time have had an outstanding off season in terms of training and getting their weights right. And just the muscle that they put on, like this looks like a, at least in terms of like conditioning and appearance, like this is a deep room.

And I don’t know if they were there quite yet last year, like look like seeing Ian Moore last year. I don’t know how ready he was physically to be a starter in the Big 10. I think you could probably say that about the Armstrongs. Like, Cardalo, just talked to, you know, even mean, even Ethan Owen now in this conversation, like he had to lose a lot of weight when he got to Ohio State. Like there was a lot that had to happen behind the scenes for us to feel pretty good about the depth of this offensive line room. And a lot of that was accomplished.

Coach Mick and all those people and that helped out, know, the strength and conditioning side of things between the championship game. And for some of these guys, probably even dating back to, you know, when the playoff practices started and maybe they weren’t, they weren’t going to be playing like there’s a lot that’s gone on behind the scenes these last two, three, four months. And this unit looks like they’ve got people physically ready to play if their name is called.

Stephen Means (31:39.542)

Owen Yawas says he was down like 30 pounds or something like that. He looks real good.

Stefan Krajisnik (31:43.842)

He looks good.

I remember seeing him at the some of the he got here I think in time for the Texas maybe practices definitely the national championship ones I remember seeing him being like that guy is massive but it was very clearly he was gonna have to drop some way before games got around

Stephen Means (31:52.972)

Yeah. Yeah.

Stephen Means (32:01.142)

It was massive, but not in a way that was encouraging more in a way of like, all right, dude, what are we doing here? What we got going on here? Okay. Anything else noteworthy from offensive line day you want to point out?

Stefan Krajisnik (32:13.636)

Am I allowed to talk about Arville Reese on offensive on a day?

Stephen Means (32:15.97)

You can talk, yes, that’s why I set you up that way. Go ahead, go ahead.

Stefan Krajisnik (32:19.3)

So actually, this is kind of about the defense as a whole. Berm had asked Ian Moore about like, Hey, like it sounds like the defense might look a little different. like Ian Moore made a face where LeBrun was like, maybe more different than we thought. And Ian Moore was like, maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. He didn’t say anything. He literally just made a face. But the core of that is that guys like Ian Moore are not facing just Jack and JT. They’re facing CJ Hicks and Arvel Reese.

Stephen Means (32:36.62)

Hey.

Stefan Krajisnik (32:49.398)

And that’s kind of interesting to hear. He said...

Stephen Means (32:51.566)

3-4 defense.

Stefan Krajisnik (32:53.796)

He said Arvel Reese and I’ll paraphrase him here was the most athletic person he’s ever seen in his entire life. And I’m paraphrasing, but like those are, those were the words like that. That’s not the, maybe the exact order. Maybe he said in my entire life, that’s the most athletic guy. I might be changing the word, the order of the word, but that was, that was the point. I promise you even more said that. So yeah, Arvel, Arvel Reese, Arvel Hicks that.

Stephen Means (33:01.933)

Okay.

Stephen Means (33:12.974)

Those are Stephon’s words.

Stefan Krajisnik (33:23.522)

That’s listening. We’re there. We’re there. Our Val Reiss is is winning the spring on defense. And I’m very happy that we get to see it all in action on Saturday. I the first 11 on 11 drill, if Patricia doesn’t go like Hicks and Reese on the edge with Kaden McDonnell and like Kaden Curry on inside, we’re going to be like, this is exactly what we’ve been talking about.

Stephen Means (33:23.758)

Stephen Means (33:45.71)

Yeah.

Yeah, show me the guy.

Yeah, yeah, totally good. If I see a three or four defense on the first snap, I’m leaving practice. I’m I’m just going to text is six one four three five or three one five. I’m just going to text it, Steven. It’s happening. See you on the podcast. And that’s it. I’m going to be I’m not I’m not staying at the practice. I’m there. I’m serious. I’m going to leave if it if it happens later in the practice. Whatever. I’ll calm down. But if I see three four after I’ve been hot taking it.

for weeks on the first team period snap, I’m leaving. like, Andrew’s not on this, he’s gonna come up to Stefan, like, where’d Stephen go? he saw three, four. Yeah, three, four, we’ll text him when we get home the pod. I’m leaving because that’s, now whether it’s good or not is a different conversation, but.

Stefan Krajisnik (34:35.17)

Yeah, I’m just gonna say three, four.

Stephen Means (34:47.918)

Arvel Reese is an idea. CJ Hicks is a not. I don’t know how we ended up talking about defense on the spot, but so many of these guys. Yeah, thank you Ian. So many of these guys that we’re talking about are still ideas and hypotheticals. If they are going to play into those ideas in terms of how they deploy this defense. It starts revving up in engines. That’s why it’s intriguing if it’s just a normal 425, there’s things to get excited about, of course, but it’s more of what we know.

Stefan Krajisnik (34:54.093)

Need more.

Stephen Means (35:17.856)

I don’t know whenever Ohio State has ever ran a three four or a base defense where it only had three down linemen. So that I’m just saying, man, if I see it, I’m to tap Stefan on the shoulder and go text me when you guys are ready. And he knows where I’m going. I’m going home to get my microphone. I’m going home to get the microphone. That’s it. And Ian Moore is how I got on this rant because he brought up our various. That’s about it. I wanted to physically see these guys.

Everybody looks good. Everything sounded good. Everything sounds like ideas that don’t worry me because there have been times in the past where you’ll hear a coach say something about what they might try and you’re like, okay. Are you doing that from a place of strength or a place of weakness? And it feels like the offensive line for the first time really since

It’s tackles where Paris Johnson and the Juan Jones, everything they’re doing right now was out of a place of strength. Plus the recruiting is pretty well. So right now, four days in the April, I think you should be feeling good about where the offensive line is going to be now and also in the future. Now, granted, let’s see what happens when Colin Simmons is on the other side and he can go sack or quarterback, but it’s, it’s, I don’t know. Should I be more worried about a group where Ryan day wasn’t

glowing about the tackle play so far and. The starting quarterback this year, no matter who it is, even if you even if you don’t think it’s Julian Sand is not a veteran 6 foot 4 240 pound human being grown man, it’s a. At best 6 foot 2 210 pound human being so your offensive line has to be a little bit more surety.

Should we are we going too far positive with the offensive line will be fine conversation? Given who they have to protect this year

Stefan Krajisnik (37:19.396)

Maybe and it might not even be so much Julian saying or Lincoln Kinnos as it is. And this is maybe where Ryan day maybe some of his concern comes from is whoever starts at tackle for Ohio State has never started at tackle at Ohio State. And that’s that’s new Riley. Eden Moore hasn’t started a game yet. Philip Daniels has started the big 10 but not at Ohio State. Right. Ethan Owen now is coming from rice and Austin several hasn’t started yet attack.

So I could see where maybe he’s got some more hesitations at tackle. I think my excitement, guess, and maybe positivity just comes from, I think by the time we get to late August and definitely by the time we get to October, November, these guys are gonna be fine and fitting well into their roles.

Stephen Means (38:03.882)

Ethan Owen, Yawa played Texas at Texas in twenty twenty three as a starting right tackle. But that was week one of then since then. The best team he has played, he played SMU last year, too, but SMU wasn’t a playoff team, even in a twelve team. He has not played someone of the caliber of what Texas is since he played Texas two years ago. By the time they play that game, Philip Daniels

But it’s I don’t remember if Minnesota played like elite football teams the last four games of the year when Philip Daniels was a starting right. So that’s where it is an element of you haven’t started out Ohio State, but also you also haven’t played against the caliber of players you’re to play in week one. So I just want to throw that out there because I don’t want to be too positive. I want to too negative either. I just want to make sure we’re balanced with this conversation. But so far I like what I’m seeing and hearing from the offensive line. And that’s what it sounds like. You’re at two Stefan is

We like what we’re seeing. We like what we’re hearing. It’s headed in the right direction. On Saturday, we get to see some level of play that’s going to tell us more because seeing and hearing is one thing. Seeing it in action and hearing it in action is a different thing. And that’s what Saturday will be all about.

Stefan Krajisnik (39:20.824)

But I want to ask you one question related to the offensive line, but a texture recently texted us that kind of sparked something. It doesn’t have to be long, but we’ll talk receivers next week when we talk to them. Who do you have right now is the fourth receiver on this team?

Stefan Krajisnik (39:39.428)

In the context of this is Ryan from the 513 said that he’s seen some clips on social media of Mylon Graham. He’s getting really excited about him. And I responded saying, I think he is the fourth receiver.

Stephen Means (39:39.63)

They’re putting it.

Stephen Means (39:46.051)

Yeah.

Stephen Means (39:53.87)

I think Bryson Rogers is the fourth receiver,

Do I think he’s the fourth receiver by the time they play a football?

Stephen Means (40:12.578)

guess I can’t wait till we talk to Robert can can Milan Graham play in the slot?

Stefan Krajisnik (40:18.936)

I feel like you worked there.

Stephen Means (40:21.422)

Because I think he looks like Garrett Wilson and Garrett Wilson spent his second year at Ohio State playing in the slot. And the reason I’m asking that is Bryson Rogers is this fourth guy up because he knows multiple positions. He is technically the backup slot receiver behind Brandon Ennis. And he’s also, I mean, he started a game and outside receiver when Cornell was out, right? So he’s, he’s done it before, which puts him ahead, but they are putting a lot of Mylon Graham clips out there and

Stefan Krajisnik (40:41.092)

right when Cardinal was out.

Stephen Means (40:51.854)

Everything, nothing is totality. Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear, like, you know what saying? Like you take everything with a grain of salt, but Ohio State doesn’t just promote anybody.

when they were promoting Marvin Harrison Jr. Going into 2022 and calling them super Marv, it wasn’t for no reason when they were putting out clips of JJ making unbelievable one handed catches with people grabbing his Jersey off of him and practices. It wasn’t for no reason. And it ended up taking him somewhere, right? There. There’s a reason why every single clip you see of a quarterback throwing the ball, they make sure they include both Julian and Lincoln throws in those clips.

There’s a reason why whenever there’s an interception, you don’t see who throws the ball. There’s a reason they keep putting myelin gram clips out there and those catches that they’re putting out there aren’t on the, one of them was on Aaron Scott, but a couple of them were also on guys we think are going to be starters. So I’ll say this. They’re four and five. I’ll cop out answer. They are four and five. And I think it depends on who comes off the field in a situation where somebody has to miss a play.

which one goes out there for Brandon and this. think they go with Bryson Rogers. If it’s JJ or Cardinal, I think they go with my

Stefan Krajisnik (42:11.992)

Yeah. I guess to follow up on your point there, March 7th, they post a picture of some, some workouts and the guys featured in these images are Caleb Downs, Brandon Innis and Austin Cereveld. So everything’s intentional. It’s no surprise we see, you know, guy like Austin Cereveld pop up in these photos that they just randomly post with like vague captions, you know.

Stephen Means (42:27.285)

thing is intentional.

Stephen Means (42:35.16)

No, like, you know, everything they do is intentional. So if they’re putting this much Mylon Graham stuff out there, that means he is doing good things in practice. And the good news is the next pod you hear from us, we’re gonna probably be talking a lot of Mylon Graham when it talks to our receivers, because we’re just not gonna be talking about JJ. He’s not. Listen, if JJ plays him,

If JJ does more than two periods of football on Saturday, I will be shocked. And the second one will be like, why is JJ out there again? They went, they had a tough Thursday practice. And I think that was on purpose because they know that Saturday is more about being a little bit more fun, more loose, more entertaining, cause you’re to have a bunch of students in there. But also they don’t want to see anything that they don’t want to be public information yet. So they went rough. They went super hard on Thursday to kind of

reel it back in on Saturday a little bit. And I’m sure probably next week they’ll have a hard practice early in the week before we get into the spring game stuff and coaches clinic and all that stuff. So get the tax. Six one four three five. three one five two week free trial three ninety nine. After that, we’ll be in the building for all of practice on Saturday for Stefan Christ. I’m Stephen Means and that was book. talk.