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Ohio State Buckeyes’ costly addition is on the brink of looking like he chose the wrong school to transfer to
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK

Not only did Ryan Day name Julian Sayin the starting quarterback of the Ohio State Buckeyes on Monday, but he also revealed his key protector at left tackle.

Austin Siereveld has had a remarkable rise for the Buckeyes since last December. He is now a team captain, the starting left tackle, and an Iron Buckeye.

“You guys keep asking the question,” Day stated jokingly as the media laughed. “Alright, mercy. Austin (Siereveld) will be at left tackle. But that’s it, you guys aren’t getting any more.”

That announcement means one of Ohio State’s most important transfer portal additions may not actually start this fall. Landing offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa from Rice was considered a huge win for the Buckeyes, and many expected him to lock down the left tackle spot. Instead, Siereveld emerged as the better option, leaving Onianwa to battle for the right tackle job.

Onianwa is competing with Minnesota transfer Phillip Daniels, and recent momentum suggests Daniels may have the edge to win that position. The silver lining for Ohio State is their depth up front, with players like Onianwa, Ian Moore, and Josh Padilla ready to step in.

“I think right now we would say that we’re probably at six or seven guys that we feel comfortable putting in a game on the offensive line,” Day explained. “I don’t think we’ve fully decided how many reps everybody will play on the line, but I think you will see a little bit of a rotation.”

If Onianwa doesn’t start, he could still play a key role at some point this season. Still, it would be a tough break for the 6-foot-7, 331-pound transfer, who didn’t need to return to college but chose to do so for another year.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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