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Former Ohio State star weighs in on hiring of Justin Frye

Nikki Chavanelleby:Nikki Chavanelle•03/13/22•

NikkiChavanelle

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Justin Frye and the Buckeyes can get some work done in August. (Birm/Lettermen Row)

New Buckeyes offensive line coach Justin Frye got a big stamp of approval this week. Former Ohio State offensive lineman Reid Fragel stopped by Columbus during spring football and left with a review of the Frye’s work so far.

“Really great seeing Coach Frye’s style of coaching up close and what he is doing with the OL,” Fragel said. “Bucks are in great hands for years to come.”

The former Buckeye was a seventh-round NFL draft pick for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was on five other teams before leaving the game in 2017, the last of which was the Minnesota Vikings.

Frye is still in his first weeks coaching the Ohio State offensive line following the departure of Greg Studrawa. He spent the last four seasons coaching the line at UCLA while adding offensive coordinator duties after his first season. As a player, Frye lined up along the OL for Indiana in the 2002-06 seasons.

Frye to ‘enhance’ offense, not change it

The Ohio State Buckeyes return a lot of key pieces from their high-powered 2021 offense next season. Justin Frye knows his role isn’t to make any dramatic changes.

“Statistically, what they’ve done here, the offense is pretty damn good,” Frye said. “So I don’t need to come in and revamp or change a bunch of things. I’m here to enhance and make those things better. And along the way, whether my business card had three titles or two or none, that’s just what we’re trying to do.

“(Day) wanted me to come in and maximize the guys, maximize the room,” Frye continued. “I mean, there was not one specifics of a scheme or any of those things. Because when you come in like that, your job as a position coach is first and foremost to develop and maximize your room. And so that’s what he knows that he’s getting with me. And that’s why he brought me here.

“That’s what I need to do is just make sure we’re just enhancing these guys’ toolsets and playing at a high level when we need to.”