Skull Session: Ohio State Activates Contingency Plans Following Seth McLaughlin’s Achilles Tear, Will Howard Calls Caleb Downs “A Hell of a Football Player” with Special Traits

Welcome to the Skull Session.

I think Ohio State wants the Shoe to be loud this weekend.

MAKE IT THE LOUDEST STADIUM IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAY pic.twitter.com/DhyUKn6DdJ
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2024

Have a good Thursday.

SHOCK AND AWE. It’s been over 24 hours. I’m still in shock.

In the past 10 years, I can remember one (just one!) Ohio State offensive lineman suffering a season-ending injury: Brandon Bowen in the 2017 Maryland game. But this year – the year Ohio State invested $20 million to have a dozen stars return as half as many stars transferred in – the Buckeyes suffer two.

Ryan Day confirmed Wednesday that Seth McLaughlin tore his Achilles in practice this week. His announcement came five weeks after Josh Simmons sustained a season-ending knee injury in the Oregon game.

McLaughlin and Simmons had been performing at an award-winning level before their injuries, as both were named AP midseason All-Americans and Senior Bowl midseason All-Americans in October. Had McLaughlin’s season continued, I am confident he would have been a semifinalist for the Rimington Trophy in addition to the Outland Trophy. I have the same confidence Simmons would have been a finalist for the Lombardi Award, too.

Sighs…

Man, that stinks.

But you gotta move on… you gotta move on…

Ohio State’s plans to replace Simmons involved Donovan Jackson, Carson Hinzman, McLaughlin, Tegra Tshabola and Josh Fryar as its five offensive linemen across the board. Now, the Buckeyes will have Jackson, Austin Siereveld, Hinzman, Tshabola and Fryar be the five starters.

Hinzman made 12 starts and recorded 758 snaps at center last season, with Pro Football Focus grading him at 42.4 as a pass blocker, 54.8 as a run blocker and 52 overall. He’s seen those numbers improve to 53.6, 65.1 and 64.7 across 71 snaps at center and 169 snaps at left guard this season. With Hinzman at center, Siereveld slides in at left guard. He has performed well in spots this fall, with Pro Football Focus grading him at 60.4 as a pass blocker, 70.3 as a run blocker and 69.1 overall.

If for some reason that experiment fails, Ohio State could also run with Jackson, Hinzman, Joshua Padilla, Tshabola and Fryar as its five if needed.

Padilla, while inexperienced, would afford Ohio State the chance to have continuity on the rest of its offensive line. To his credit, the redshirt freshman has made the most of his 29 snaps this season. In fact, in his three snaps against Northwestern, Padilla mauled the Wildcats' interior defensive line like he used to maul high school wrestlers as an Ohio state runner-up in the 200+ pound division.

"He really took advantage of those. Three really good reps," Day said. "That's what we're looking for when guys get in the game. (The backups) are right there. They'll have to be ready."

Whatever option Ohio State settles with in the long run, there’s no replacing McLaughlin — just like there was no replacing Simmons. McLaughlin had 34 career starts between Ohio State and Alabama, making him a calm, cool, collected leader who called the shots for the offensive line. Hinzman or Padilla could become that, too, but it would take time. That’s not something the Buckeyes have in a time where the mantra is to survive and advance.

SHOUTOUT DONNY. This is a Donovan Jackson Appreciation Section.

Why?

This quote from Wednesday: “We all wear Block O's on our chest for a reason. We’re not here for a free vacation, we’re here to play football. Guys need to get going."

Jackson offered that response when asked about the Buckeyes reshuffling its offensive line for the second time this season. It reminded me that, yes, McLaughlin's injury hurts, but this is THE Ohio State University. It's next man up. Either Hinzman and Siereveld deliver, or the Buckeyes move on to the next lineman and the next lineman and the next. Time to earn those leaves on the back of the helmets, gentlemen.

WHEN I NEEDED YOU THE MOST. Denzel Burke had the worst performance of his career in the Oregon game, allowing eight catches on eight targets for 179 yards and two touchdowns. His efforts in the past four games have been better, but the senior cornerback has still allowed nine catches on 11 targets for 98 yards in Ohio State’s wins over Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue and Northwestern.

Despite some of his recent inconsistencies, Day and Jim Knowles expressed confidence on Tuesday that Burke will be at his best when Ohio State faces Indiana.

“I think he’s gonna have a great game this weekend. I think he’s gonna have a great week of preparation. I had a great conversation with him the other day. He’s excited about playing in this game,” Day said. “He knows he has to play his best in big games. I think he’s gonna have a great week of practice. I look forward to seeing him play on Saturday.”

Knowles added: “He practices and plays and goes through meetings like a professional. You see little change in his demeanor no matter what happens. That’s the sign of a good player. He’s just gonna keep competing.”

The coaches expect the same from Burke’s counterpart, Davison Igbinosun, this weekend. Knowles said he’d like to see Igbinosun continue to be aggressive as a defender, though he could live without the penalties.

“You don’t ever accept (the penalties). You keep coaching him on technique without limiting his aggressiveness. But you don’t ever accept the penalties and just say, ‘Oh, we’re going to get one.’ But you keep coaching him. You go through the clips and tell him where he can get better.”

Kurtis Rourke has been one of the best quarterbacks in college football this season, completing 71.8 percent of his passes for 2,410 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions. His five favorite targets are all wide receivers: Elijah Sarratt (38 catches, 685 yards, six touchdowns), Omar Cooper Jr. (24/527/5), Myles Price (30/377/2), Ke’Shawn Williams (27/341/2) and Miles Cross (25/289/3).

“He’s extremely efficient,” Knowles said of Rourke. “He’s calm in the pocket and very efficient. He makes all the throws. He gets rid of the ball quickly. … He’s very smart. He figures out where the holes of the defense are and takes advantage.”

But Rourke hasn’t faced a secondary of Ohio State’s caliber this season.

When Burke and Igbinosun are at their best, they can make life tough for any quarterback. I trust that Burke and Igbinosun will be at their best on Saturday. Why? Fill in the blank: When I needed you the most, you did your very ____.

A FOOTBALL GUY. Caleb Downs loves football. That’s what Day and Howard told me Tuesday.

“In the recruiting process, you could tell at a young age that he just really loved football,” Day said. “When you talked about football, he was listening — and you better know what you’re talking about when you’re around him. That’s the first thing you realize. He comes from a football family. His brother, his dad and his mom all know football.

“You also recognize his competitiveness. You saw it in high school. You see it now. He wants to always be involved in the games. It doesn’t matter what the score is. I mean, he’s bugging me about getting back in the game. Yeah, it doesn't matter what the score is. ‘Give me a shot. Give me one more series.’ That’s the way he’s built. It’s contagious. His energy, his passion for the game, I think it really carries over to the rest of the guys on the team. It’s infectious.”

Howard echoed his coach’s sentiments later in the press conference.

“That dude is a hell of a football player, man,” Howard said. “Just watching him every week, the way he comes downhill and hits dudes and fills holes is different. I’ve never seen a guy do that from the safety position. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him miss an open-field tackle – knock on wood – but the dude is special. He’s obviously good in pass coverage, too. He’s as smart as they come. He’s one of those guys that just knows ball. He just loves it. He’s all about it. … He’s a hell of a player.”

That’s incredible praise from both parties. But it’s well-deserved. Downs is incredible, and I still cannot believe Ohio State landed him out of the transfer portal this offseason.

Thanks, Nick Saban!

SONG OF THE DAY. "Prove It" - Aretha Franklin.