Ohio State left tackle Thayer Munford and safety Jordan Fuller will miss spring practice due to injuries, an Ohio State spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.
The news was first reported by Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch.
Ohio State has not disclosed the specifics of their injuries, but Eleven Warriors has learned that both players underwent surgeries this offseason.
Munford, who also missed the Rose Bowl due to injury, started each of Ohio State's first 13 games of last season at left tackle, and is expected to man the position in the starting lineup once again in his junior year. With Munford sidelined for spring practice, it's likely that Joshua Alabi, Branden Bowen and Nicholas Petit-Frere will see the majority of first-team reps at tackle, as the Buckeyes will go into spring without all five of their starting offensive linemen from last season.
Fuller, one of two returning captains for the Buckeyes, is entering his third year as a starting safety in Ohio State's secondary, having started all but one game in each of the past two seasons. With Fuller sidelined and Brendon White expected to move into a hybrid linebacker role, there will be ample opportunities for Ohio State's other safeties – including Isaiah Pryor, Josh Proctor, Amir Riep and potentially Shaun Wade (who played both cornerback and safety last season) – to compete for first-team reps and a potential starting spot.
Ohio State is set to begin spring practice on Wednesday morning, and head coach Ryan Day is scheduled to meet with the media for his first press conference of the spring following practice.
