Until two weeks ago, Zen Michalski had never seen substantial playing time in nearly three-and-a-half seasons at Ohio State. Now, he’s in position to be one of the Buckeyes’ most important players for the remainder of 2024.
Michalski had never seen so much as spot duty with the first-team offense when he was called upon to replace Josh Simmons at left tackle in the second quarter against Oregon. Before then, Michalski had played less than 200 offensive snaps in his collegiate career with all of those snaps coming late in games where the Buckeyes had decisive leads.
With Simmons now out for the season due to the knee injury he suffered in Eugene, however, Michalski is set to make his first career start as Ohio State’s left tackle on Saturday against Nebraska. The Buckeyes are hoping Michalski can hold down that role for the rest of the season, and they’ve expressed nothing but confidence this week that Michalski can get the job done.
“I felt like Zen did well in the preseason, and because Josh had been making so much progress, his name didn't come up a bunch. But talking to (offensive line coach Justin Frye) and (quality control coach Tim Drevno) and (offensive coordinator Chip Kelly), they really liked where his progress was coming,” Ryan Day said this week. “And when we go ones vs. twos, twos vs. ones at the end of practice, we felt like he was doing a good job of making progress. So when things like that happen, we do have contingency plans in place, but we all felt confident with Zen going in the game (at Oregon). And we do on Saturday, too. And I feel like the way he played (at Oregon) should give him confidence going into this game. And I think he's had a good week of practice.”
Michalski was far from perfect in his relief effort against the Ducks. He had a false start and gave up multiple quarterback pressures, and Pro Football Focus gave him the lowest grade (37.6) of any Ohio State offensive player against Oregon.
Context is important, though, when evaluating Michalski’s performance in that game. After all, Michalski wasn’t expected to play any offensive snaps against the Ducks until Simmons went down. Considering he was thrust into the lineup at a moment’s notice, all the while playing in the Buckeyes’ biggest game of the year to date in one of the loudest stadiums in the country, Day felt Michalski put forth a praiseworthy effort.
“Was everything perfect last week or a couple weeks ago against Oregon? No. But the environments aren't going to get much more difficult than that,” Day said. “And that moment, where you really weren’t ready to go play in the game in terms of the preparation all week other than getting the two reps, but to be able to step in and do like that’s got to give him confidence coming into this game.”
“We all felt confident with Zen going in the game (at Oregon). And we do on Saturday, too.”– Ryan Day on Zen Michalski becoming Ohio State’s left tackle
While Ohio State was hoping it wouldn’t need Michalski to step into a major role this season with how well Simmons was playing, Ohio State’s coaches expressed confidence in his ability to play as needed even before the season. Offensive line coach Justin Frye said in August that Michalski and fellow backup offensive tackle George Fitzpatrick were playing “their best football of their career since they have been here,” making him believe the Buckeyes had the depth they needed at offensive tackle.
Michalski saw increased reps with the first-team offensive line during preseason camp due to an illness that sidelined several offensive linemen, including Simmons, for a portion of August. His confidence increased in the process as he held his own against Ohio State’s top defensive ends.
Unknowingly, Michalski foreshadowed nearly the exact scenario in which he would ultimately be called upon to play for the Buckeyes this season. And he said he felt “definitely a lot more confident” that he would be ready to play in that situation than he would have been a year ago.
“It could be the second play of the Oregon game, I gotta go in, I gotta play, we gotta win this game,” Michalski said on Aug. 22. “So that's kind of how I approached it the whole offseason … I've had much more reps, like reps on reps, a whole ‘nother spring ball, and I got back on the side that I'm more comfortable on, the left side. And I just feel like I've had a whole year at that, spring ball and camp, and I've had a lot of reps with the ones obviously because of stuff that's been going on during camp, so I feel good about myself. I feel much better than I did last year.”
No one will be affected more by how Michalski performs at left tackle than Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, whose blind side Michalski is now tasked with protecting. But Howard, like Day, holds a strong belief in Michalski’s ability to get the job done and says he thinks Michalski “did a hell of a job” stepping up at Oregon.
“Coming in in a game like that, on the road in that environment, he handled it really well. And going forward, he's got to be the guy. So we're trying to just instill as much confidence in him as we can, and we believe in him,” Howard said this week. “He could probably be a starter at a lot of other places, but he wanted to be here and be part of the brotherhood and now he's getting a chance to step in and be the guy and I'm excited for him.”
Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin said he has “no concerns about Zen stepping in and doing a really good job,” and running back TreVeyon Henderson also expects Michalski to rise to the occasion.
“He's been working really hard, man, even before the season. He had a great spring, great summer, especially throughout fall camp,” Henderson said. “He took a lot of reps and went against the top players, top defense in the country. So I think he's ready and prepared.”
Michalski will make his first start against a Nebraska defense that’s capable of putting him to the test, particularly in pass protection, as the Cornhuskers are tied for 14th nationally with 21 sacks through seven games. The Cornhuskers also run an unusual 3-3-5 defensive scheme that will present a new challenge for all of Ohio State’s offensive linemen this week.
Unlike when he was thrown into the fire at Oregon, however, Michalski enters this game with the advantage of two weeks to prepare knowing he will be the starting left tackle. Day believes that will lead to better play.
In Day’s eyes, Michalski had already earned the opportunity to play more with his performance in practice. Now that the depth chart has opened up for the fourth-year Buckeye from Floyds Knobs, Indiana, to play a substantial role for the first time in his Ohio State career, Day is optimistic that Michalski will take advantage.
“It's one thing when you're coming into that role, but now as you become the starter, there's more that comes with that. And I think he's looking for that opportunity,” Day said. “He's been in the program now for a while. He's put his work in. And so now it's time to go to work. And I think the confidence that you put in in practice blocking against our defensive ends every day should give them great amount of confidence to be able to go do it in the game.”
