Tegra Tshabola will see playing time in Week 1, even if the right guard competition isn't completely decided for Ohio State.
After an offseason of work and some impressive performances in preseason camp, the 6-6, 327-pound behemoth is positioned for playing time, per Ryan Day. Day hopes to name a starter named after Ohio State's final preseason intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday.
"I think he's definitely going to play at guard," Day said. "Whether he starts, we'll probably decide here coming off of Saturday. But he's definitely going to play unless something drastic were to happen. I think he's earned that opportunity.
"How much and if it's the whole game, again, we'll decide that as we get probably through the weekend. But for sure, he's earned the right to play in this game."
Carson Hinzman, who started at center last season for Ohio State, remains Tshabola's main competition for the full-time starting job.
There's a lot of athletic upside with Tshabola, a four-star prospect ranked 104th overall and 10th at offensive tackle in the recruiting class of 2022. He has great feet and mobility for his massive frame, enough that he competed to start at right tackle last season before sliding inside to guard this year.
“Tegra's really athletic and can really sink his hips, and he's long,” Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said last week. “He's really long, and when you can play long on the offensive line and keep defensive linemen away from people because of your length, that's a really big deal for us.
“We like offensive linemen that are big, because big people beat up little people. So we like Tegra a lot.”
Should Tshabola start when Ohio State opens its season against Akron next week, it will be the first start of his career. He played in all 13 games as a backup offensive lineman last season for a total of 32 offensive snaps. The Buckeyes' other four starters on the offensive line are already solidified, with Josh Simmons at left tackle, Donovan Jackson at left guard, Seth McLaughlin at center and Josh Fryar at right tackle.
Although he deferred to the coaching staff when asked if he thought he would be the starting right guard, Tshabola feels good about what he’s been able to show in the competition with nine days to go until the season opener.
“I feel good about the competition because I know that it made me better,” Tshabola said. “It made me a better football player. Competing against a guy as talented as Carson pushed me to be as good as I am right now.”
