Seth McLaughlin reportedly suffers injury in practice
COLUMBUS — Another devastating injury has reportedly hit the Ohio State offensive line room: starting center and mid-season All-American Seth McLaughlin is feared to be out for the season with what could be an injury to his achilles tendon.
McLaughlin suffered the injury in practice Tuesday night, sources tell Lettermen Row. The news was first reported by The Columbus Dispatch.
The former Alabama starter transferred to Ohio State last offseason after starting 25 games for the Crimson Tide across two seasons. He has started every game for the Buckeyes this year, becoming one of the best centers in all of college football and a sure-thing NFL Draft choice.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly have repeatedly praised McLaughlin throughout the year for his play as a center and his leadership along the offensive line, especially after the Buckeyes lost star left tackle Josh Simmons in the second quarter of the loss at No. 1 Oregon. After Simmons went down — and so did backup left tackle Zen Michalski — left guard Donovan Jackson moved to left tackle and backup guard/center Carson Hinzman slid into the left guard role.
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McLaughlin has been an anchor for the line all year, even as it has battled through adversity.
“I’ve been really impressed,” Kelly said last week. “I think Donny and Seth have really stepped up in that leadership part. I think the two of those guys have really led from the front. Two hard-nosed, physical players. Obviously, Donny being selfless and moving from left guard to left tackle was a really big deal for us, and he continues to work at his craft every day. Because I think everybody just thinks O-line but all five of those positions are really different, and it’s not easy to go from one position to another position. And I think the fact that Donny has done that has really been great. Seth, really, because he calls all of our identifications and directs what our blocking schemes will be, has fell into that leadership role for us.
“I think our guys are really rallying behind those two.”
But now McLaughlin will face some adversity of his own, and Ohio State is reportedly going to have to work through more pains along a snake-bitten offensive line. The star center is reportedly out for the year. Ohio State has to figure out a path forward without one of its main leaders.
