Ohio State football is already getting a glimpse of the kind of injury they can’t afford this season
The Buckeyes return just about every starter on the offensive line for the 2026 season, and the most important player Austin Siereveld is dealing with an injury.
Ohio State football enters fall camp with most of its roster healthy after a spring filled with offseason surgeries and recoveries. The Buckeyes return four of five starters along the offensive line heading into the 2026 season, and the unit is expected to be a strength for the program.
One issue, though, is slowing down the process of finalizing the starting five up front.
Senior Austin Siereveld has missed a couple of days of practice recently, and his absence is making it tougher for Ohio State to nail down its offensive line configuration at this moment.
Austin Siereveld’s absence is delaying a key decision
Ohio State coach Ryan Day confirmed Siereveld has been held out of practice the last couple days, and the senior was unable to participate in the Buckeyes’ first scrimmage of fall camp over the weekend. The injury does not appear to be serious, and Siereveld is expected to return soon.
Still, the missed time is creating a ripple effect. Siereveld is either going to be the starting left tackle or slide into right guard for Ohio State this fall. Much of it depends on whether Josh Padilla can solidify himself as the right guard. There’s also the ongoing battle at right tackle between Ian Moore and Philip Daniels, and the possibility exists that Moore shifts to left tackle with Siereveld moving inside to guard if Padilla cannot win the right guard job.
Getting those reps together as a unit matters, and every missed practice delays the evaluation process for the coaching staff.
The Buckeyes need their offensive line figured out right from the jump. Ohio State opens the season in Week 1 against Ball State, but the real test comes in Week 2 when the Buckeyes travel to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns and a strong defensive front led by edge rusher Colin Simmons.
Siereveld is going to be vital for Ohio State regardless of where he lines up. He has started 21 games over the last two seasons, including all 14 games in 2025, and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last year. He’s the Buckeyes’ most versatile offensive lineman, capable of playing four spots along the line, and a legitimate NFL prospect at both tackle and guard.
Ohio State will be a better team when it can get its best five offensive linemen on the field, and Siereveld is at the center of that equation. The sooner he’s back on the practice field, the sooner the Buckeyes can lock in the starting front and build the cohesion they’ll need before heading to Texas. Time will tell how quickly that comes together.
