Much has rightly been made of the fact that Ohio State recorded zero sacks against Oregon the first time the two teams met in October. Often forgotten by Buckeye fans is that the Ducks also recorded zero sacks in Autzen Stadium that night.
The thing is, both Ohio State’s offensive tackle situation and Oregon’s edge-rushing situation will look much different than on Oct. 12. Donovan Jackson has since slid out from left guard to left tackle for the Buckeyes while star defensive end Jordan Burch, out with an injury in the first meeting, returns to the Ducks’ defensive front.
“He has the power to throw tackles into the quarterback,” Jackson told Eleven Warriors on Monday. “His speed to power is very good. Also, he has the finesse. He's able to use his hands well. So, he's a very challenging rusher. Obviously, one of those rushers who is going to be making a lot of money in a couple of months. So, you've got to be on your stuff when you come to him. You've got to know how to attack him, but he doesn't make it easy on you.”
In just nine games this season, Burch has collected 30 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and six pass breakups. The former South Carolina edge defender stands 6-6, 290, outsizing the vast majority of defensive ends across the country. That size, in combination with his athleticism, makes him a handful for offensive tackles.
“Super powerful guy, really fast off the ball,” right tackle Josh Fryar said. “He's 6-6, 295, and he runs super fast. He's going to be a great matchup to go against, and I think it's going to be a battle.”
Fryar and Jackson do have experience facing high-end defensive ends and have handled them well in the second half of the season. Star Michigan DE Josaiah Stewart, Indiana DE Mikhail Kamara and Tennessee DE James Pearce Jr. all went without sacks when they played the Buckeyes.
Allowing zero sacks to Oregon the first time out is impressive in and of itself, but it becomes even more so when considering how Ohio State quarterback Will Howard diced up the Ducks through the air. He went 28-of-35 (80%) for 326 yards and two touchdowns, adding a rushing score. It will be important for the Scarlet and Gray that he sees similar production in the CFP quarterfinals, and that starts with keeping the Kansas State transfer upright.
Jackson got a baptism by fire at the offensive tackle position facing Penn State’s Abdul Carter in his first game at his new spot for the Buckeyes, allowing two sacks, but he found success run blocking in that contest and has been a steady left tackle since.
“He's a football player, so as you game plan, as you go through and prep, what do you need to use that week to attack those guys as they're attacking you in protection? And then for him, it's the same deal with any kid – he's played a lot of football,” offensive line coach Justin Frye said. “But it's a new position, so every week, every rep, the more that he gets it, the better it gets.”
More than the murderer’s row of opponents he’s faced in Carter, Kamara, Stewart and Pearce et al, Jackson credits Ohio State defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau for his development.
“I feel like what helped me was going to Jack and JT every day in practice,” Jackson said. “I told them, ‘Don't go easy on me.’ I pulled those guys after practice. I pulled all the other edge rushers after practice to help me out, just trying to be able to see the nuances of edge rushing. Trying to see when their shoulders face me, if they're going up field, if they're looking inside to try to swipe inside. Trying to see everything so when I do it in a game, I can do it at a high level.”
Burch won’t be the only threat Jackson and Fryar face. Oregon’s sack leader is actually Burch’s defensive end running mate in Matayo Uiagalelei, with 37 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 2024. Defensive tackle Derrick Harmon will take up some intention on the interior with five sacks as part of 8.5 tackles for loss.
Rather than focus on the prestige and statistics of the players they’re preparing to face, Ohio State’s aim is to drill down on the actual pass rush moves they’ll see from Burch, Uiagalelei and company.
“This is a great matchup,” Frye said. “They're physical up front, they're big. Schematically, they do some really good things. So, we try to keep it like nameless, faceless opponents. What is that guy doing? How are they attacking you? What technique and fundamentals can you use? But yes, (Burch) and their entire front. They're a really good front, they're a really good front seven.”
Burch also holds Ohio State’s offensive tackles in high regard.
“He’s physical,” Burch told Eleven Warriors of Jackson. “Pretty good guy. He’s a great athlete and I know he’s gonna have a great game, so just going out there and giving my best, we’ll get that matchup and have fun a little bit out there. Just ready to play him.”
“Super powerful guy, really fast off the ball. He's 6-6, 295, and he runs super fast.”– Josh Fryar on Jordan Burch
The tumult the Buckeyes’ offensive line has faced can be traced back to their first flight with the Ducks. Left tackle Josh Simmons suffered a season-ending knee injury that game, then backup tackle Zen Michalski went down after a rough outing against Nebraska the following week. That prompted Jackson’s move to tackle as Carson Hinzman filled in at left guard.
That arrangement worked well until center and Rimington Trophy winner Seth McLaughlin tore his Achilles ahead of the Indiana game, ending his season. Hinzman moved to center and Austin Siereveld took his place at left guard. Then, after inconsistencies against the Hoosiers and full-blown struggles against Michigan, Ohio State started rolling at offensive guard with Luke Montgomery, Siereveld and Tegra Tshabola in the first round of the College Football Playoff against Tennessee.
“We've had so many different line mashups and mixes that I've lost count,” Jackson said. “It's just Coach Frye still believing in every single one of us. Like, ‘Hey, I don't know where you're going to be this week, but I need you to execute for me.’”
As they’ve done on multiple occasions this year, the front five bounced back with a strong outing facing Pearce and the Volunteers. Ohio State rushed the ball at a clip of 4.7 yards per carry, its best mark since before McLaughlin’s injury, and didn’t surrender a sack.
“I think we handled it decently well in responding as a unit,” Fryar said. “It's just correcting the mistakes that we did in that game, and moving forward with it and just having a good plan for us as a unit to move forward and play this game.”
Paying off all that adversity with a national championship is the end goal for Ohio State’s offensive line, particularly Jackson and Fryar, who are seniors. But it starts with containing the Ducks’ edge threats.
“It would mean everything,” Fryar said. “But first we've got to face the Rose Bowl. We've got to beat Oregon.”
