Montgomery part of OSU offensive line's resurgence

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has become known for its receivers after producing NFL-caliber receivers on an annual basis. And it has also acquired a reputation for having defensive backs who have heard their names called in the early rounds of the NFL draft. But after what has taken place in the last 10 months at OSU maybe it should get some credit for developing offensive linemen. Or at least get a little credit for being able to create a new plan when forced to change the old plan. It started last year when Ohio State won a national championship despite losing two of its best offensive linemen to injuries during the season. Left tackle Josh Simmons went out with a season-ending knee injury during the first Oregon game. OSU moved Donovan Jackson from guard to left tackle and he played like it had been his position for years. Then four days before Ohio State played Indiana, starting center Seth McLaughlin suffered a torn Achilles tendon in practice and Carson Hinzman replaced him. After a frustrating overall offensive performance in a 13-10 loss to Michigan, Luke Montgomery got a chance to play around half the offensive snaps during OSU's playoff wins over Tennessee and Oregon and played every snap at left guard in the wins over Texas and Notre Dame. Going into this season, the expectation was that Ethan Onianwa, a transfer from Rice, was brought in to play left tackle, generally regarded as the premier offensive line position. But recently Austin Siereveld, who played both guard positions last season, was named as the starting left tackle and was chosen as one of the Buckeyes' four captains. OSU coach Ryan Day announced Siereveld as the starter at left tackle at the same preseason press conference he named Julian Sayin as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback but chose not to fill in the blanks of who would fill the four other starting positions on the offensive line in the opener against Texas on Aug. 30. "I think right now there are probably six or seven guys we feel comfortable putting into the game on the offensive line," Day said. "I don't think we've decided how many reps (repetitions) everybody on the offensive line will play. But I think you will see a little bit of a rotation like you saw at times in the playoff." Day's group of six or seven top offensive linemen probably includes Siereveld at left tackle, Montgomery at left guard, Hinzman at center, Tegra Tshabola at right guard and Onianwa or Phillip Johnson at right tackle. Montgomery, a junior from Findlay who was a 4-star recruit, admitted he was not happy with his lack of playing time during the regular season last year. "My parents helped me a lot. They told me to just continue to trust the Lord and obviously I did that," Montgomery said. He also talked with Ohio State's coaches about what he needed to do to get more playing time. "I just wanted to pick their brains about what they saw and why I didn't get a chance. You're not going to know anything if you don't go in there and ask," he said. "I think I needed more reps at guard. I didn't play offensive line until my junior year of high school and my freshman year (at Ohio State) I played tackle. Once I transferred to the inside it was a whole different game because everything happens faster and guys are bigger and can move as fast as defensive ends. I think it just took transitioning to that position and coming to the inside." While he wasn't playing, Montgomery treated Tuesday and Wednesday practices against Ohio State's first team defense as if they were games. "Obviously that helped me because when I got on the stage I wasn't playing against anyone as good as they were," he said. Once he got on the field, Montgomery became one of the vocal leaders on the offensive line. "I take a lot of pride in that. I'm a pretty social guy. I haven't really met a stranger. I love making football fun," he said. "I bring a lot of energy. Obviously I love the game. I just want to throw people in the dirt. I'm looking to put people in the dirt every single play."