With just one true starter returning, Ohio State’s offensive line will have plenty of questions to answer before the season

“The offensive line arguably took the biggest hit as far as the production it lost after the season in comparison with what it got in return.”

Stephen Means, Cleveland.com

Some may argue that Ohio State’s biggest position of loss following the 2018 season was at wide receiver. While the Buckeyes lost a lot at wide receiver with Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, and Johnnie Dixon all exhausting their college eligibility, the bigger position of worry for Ohio State heading into the 2019 season is offensive line.

The only true starter who Ohio State will have back for the 2019 season is Thayer Munford, who will miss spring practices due to injury. Munford is expected to start at left tackle, while Wyatt Davis is the only other certainty on the offensive line, with the sophomore expected to start at right guard. Graduate transfer Jonah Jackson, who joined Ohio State from Rutgers this offseason, will likely get a long look for one of the open offensive line spots.

The lack of experience on the offensive line heading into this season is especially concerning considering Ohio State will have a new quarterback. Five-star Georgia transfer Justin Fields has the agility to be able to avoid the rushes that will be thrown at him, but the Buckeyes don’t want to make it a habit of having Fields running for his life. There is plenty of talent on the offensive line, the main goal right now is to figure out who fits where. Once they get those positions locked down, it will allow the offense to be more comfortable and hopefully put up points like they did in 2018.

“She’s the most physically dominant player I’ve ever seen at the high school level.”

Jackson High School head coach on Canton McKinley’s Kierstan Bell via Joe Scalzo, The Repository

Ohio State recruit Kierstan Bell joined some elite company earlier today. Bell was named Ohio’s Ms. Basketball for the third time, becoming the first woman to accomplish that feat. LeBron James is the only player to win Ohio’s Mr. Basketball three times. Unlike James, who moved straight to the NBA from high school, Bell will be heading to Ohio State, joining a number of other highly rated recruits in Columbus.

This year Bell averaged 27 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, 4.4 blocks per game, and 3.8 steals per game for Canton McKinley, who posted a 25-2 record so far this year. Bell finished her high school career with 2,833 points, which bettered Ohio legends like Katie Smith and Semeka Randall. Bell also had little trouble setting the Stark County career scoring record, scoring more than 600 points more than Taylor Mikesell did in her career.

Bell will now join four other five-star recruits in Columbus later this year. Indiana’s Rikki Harris is the sixth-ranked point guard in the class of 2019. Kaelynn Satterfield will come to Ohio State from New York as the 10th ranked wing in the country, while Dublin Coffman’s Jacy Sheldon joins Bell as a highly touted guard. While Ohio State went 14-14 this year, it looks like those struggles will be short-lived, as the Buckeyes have a great recruiting class coming in.

Ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Penn State in one of the Big Ten Tournament semifinals in Columbus, Ohio State goaltender Tommy Nappier has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the goaltender voted to be the most outstanding during the Division I men’s ice hockey regular season. Nappier is the second Buckeye to be nominated for the award, as last year senior goaltender Sean Romeo was recognized.

Nappier is second nationally with a .937 save percentage, and his 1.78 goals against average is fourth in the country. Nappier posted a 1.82 goals against average in Big Ten games this season, with his average ranking second-best in Big Ten history. Should Ohio State beat Penn State on Sunday, they’ll move on to the Big Ten Conference Championship Game next Sunday, with their eyes on the Frozen Four in Buffalo next month.

STICK TO SPORTS

• If you’re going to be up in Dublin for St. Patrick’s Day, the Central Ohio city has teamed up with Central Ohio Safe Ride and Lyft to make sure you get to and from your destination safely this weekend.
• The Black Keys announced a show at Nationwide Arena in October.
• A Lego-themed popup bar is in the works to come to Columbus in September.
• Today is National Potato Chip Day. Here are the best potato chips Ohio has to offer.
• An Ohio man has given up food for Lent, claiming he will only drink beer for 46 days.