Seth McLaughlin update: Ryan Day confirms injury of star center
COLUMBUS — Ohio State coach Ryan Day confirmed the devastating news on Wednesday evening: Buckeyes starting center and mid-season All-American Seth McLaughlin will be out for the season with an achilles injury suffered Tuesday.
Former center Carson Hinzman, who started 12 games at center last year for the Buckeyes, will slide into the center role from his current spot at left guard. Of course, that would create an opening at left guard, which will be filled by Austin Siereveld, who started two games at left guard at the beginning of the season.
“Seth tore his achilles on a non-contact injury,” Day said. “We’re crushed for Seth and our team. but once that wears off you have to move on. It’ss a next man up mentality. Certainly nobody cares. We’ll make adjustments. We’ll move Carson [Hinzman, who started 12 games at center last year] to center and Austin [Siereveld] in there to left guard. Those guys were in there today and had a very good practice, a very spirited practice. I thought [quarterback] Will [Howard] did a very good job when he went down yesterday and even today. Excited for those guys to get in there and have a great game. It’s a great opportunity for those guys now. They’ve both played a lot of football. We’ve won a lot of games with Carson at center, and Austin’s played.
“It’s like a body blow when something like that happens. Seth means a lot to this team and what he’s done since he’s been here. .. We’re going to move on, focus on the future and focus on the guys who are in the game.”
Day said McLaughlin will have surgery next week to repair the achilles and will be spending this week helping prepare for Indiana.
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Day’s confirmation comes just a day after Lettermen Row and others reported McLaughlin’s injury.
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 Seth 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.
McLaughlin has been an anchor for the line all year, even as it has battled through adversity.
Now the Buckeyes will be without the two offensive linemen that many consider to be the best two offensive linemen on the roster. Simmons has been missing since that Oregon game, now McLaughlin is out.
