The Ohio State Buckeyes rolled to a 56-3 win over Ball State in their 2026 season opener, but the offensive line performance told a different story. Ohio State returned four of five starters up front to protect quarterback Julian Sayin, and one weak link stood out against the Cardinals. 

Coach Ryan Day is keeping the door open for a potential change at right tackle before the Buckeyes travel to face the Texas Longhorns in Week 2.

Philip Daniels’ struggles against Ball State were noticed

Right tackle Philip Daniels had a rough outing, particularly as a run blocker in the first half when the Buckeyes ran at less than three yards per carry. Ohio State ended the game with 237 rushing yards thanks to a strong second half on the ground, a complete 180 from the opening two quarters. Against Ball State, those struggles were survivable. Against a Texas team with legitimate pass rush talent, they won’t be.

Day was asked what he saw from the offensive line in the opener, and his answer left the door wide open for a shakeup.

“Some good, but some other things we have to improve on,” Day said. “You know, I think early on, we didn’t run the ball the way we wanted to, and then it opened up better in the second half. And so, we’ll continue to evaluate that throughout the week and figure out if we have the right mix out there, and you know the good news is we do have flexibility if we need to [make a move], but we’re going to evaluate the week and see how that goes.”

Ohio State has the flexibility to make a move if needed

That phrase stands out: the Buckeyes do have the flexibility to make a move if they need to. Day is keeping the door open for Ohio State to go in a different direction at right tackle, and there’s a clear path to doing so.

If a change happens, the likely scenario involves sliding Gabe VanSickle into right guard and pushing Austin Siereveld over to right tackle. VanSickle played some at right guard against Ball State when Ohio State deployed that exact look during the first half. Siereveld has the ability to play tackle. He was Ohio State’s left tackle for the entirety of last season, and sliding him to right tackle would be a smooth transition.

If that combination gives the Buckeyes their best five up front, it’s a move they’ll have to make. Daniels still has a chance to keep his job, and all he needs to do is buckle down and be the player Ohio State needs him to be.

With Texas approaching, the Buckeyes can’t have Sayin under heavy pressure, and the run game has to function. If a change needs to be made up front, expect it to happen.