"There isn't someone there to replace him."
That was Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer's statement the Monday after the team's 24-21 loss to Penn State, a game in which first-year starting right tackle Isaiah Prince struggled mightily.
Of course, it's possible Meyer would have stuck with Prince even if there was someone waiting in the wings, but the fact that there wasn't was concerning to say the least. From the sound of it, Meyer had little to no faith in any offensive lineman other than his starting five.
Turns out, that's exactly how offensive line coach Greg Studrawa felt as well.
"If someone would have gotten hurt last year, there was not that confidence in those backups at all," Studrawa said. "Not that confidence at all."
Actually, somebody did get hurt. Michael Jordan, who earned the starting left guard spot as a true freshman – an indictment on the offensive line depth in itself – left the Fiesta Bowl with a sprained right ankle, and sophomore Demetrius Knox replaced him.
His first play went about as bad as it could have.
Whether he didn't know the snap count or his reflexes failed him, Knox didn't get out of his stance on time allowing Clelin Ferrell to blow past him and stop J.T. Barrett in the backfield.
This isn't meant to single out Knox. After all, he was the next man up, indicating he was the most game-ready of the group. It just shows how far the group was from where it needed to be.
"That's why we're working so hard right now, that's why we're trying guys right now, so if something does happen at a crucial time and someone goes in, they're ready," Studrawa said. "They're not ready to fail, they're ready to get the job done and we can count on them, and they're accountable to everybody on this team."
Ahead of the 2017 season, Studrawa said he feels much better about the unit's depth.
"It's way different from what it was last year," Studrawa said. "The confidence of guys – there's three guys at some spots that are getting reps because they're doing so well. So that's exciting, but again, it creates competition and lets you build a cohesive line."
Though many of those players are the same ones Studrawa had no confidence in last season, he said the unit as a whole has improved drastically this offseason, knowing all of their mistakes are under a microscope.
"If someone would have gotten hurt last year, there was not that confidence in those backups at all. Not that confidence at all." – Greg Studrawa
"When you face that criticism and you really look at what you need to do," Studrawa said. "Now all of the sudden how you approach things is different. How you go out and approach practice is different. Why? Because you know those little mistakes on the offensive line are going to get blown up and be on the front page. So now, you know what? You pay attention. You fight, you strain, you don't let those things happen."
The unit is so much deeper this year that Studrawa said they may have 10 players he's comfortable playing by the start of the season – even more than the desired eight.
"You wanna get a backup at tackle, you want to get a backup at guard, and obviously you want to get a backup center," Studrawa said. "Right now we're on the path to have more than one."
It's early, but things appear to be headed in the right direction for this Buckeye offensive line this year, and with three new freshmen including the nation's top-two interior linemen, the future looks even brighter.
"I'm excited," Studrawa said. "We'll see how it fans out. It's still early, but we're on that path right now."
