This is a developing story that holds significant implications for Ohio State's football season. The Buckeyes have faced a series of injuries on their offensive line, with starting center Seth McLaughlin tearing his Achilles tendon in practice on Tuesday. This setback comes at a crucial time as they prepare for a top-five matchup against unbeaten Indiana on Saturday.

Ohio State's Offensive Line Woes and Recovery Hopes

Starting Center's Injury

Ohio State's starting center, Seth McLaughlin, tore his Achilles tendon during practice. This injury is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season, as the usual recovery time for such a tear is several months. The Buckeyes were already dealing with injuries on their offensive line before this setback. Josh Simmons, the starting left tackle who transferred from San Diego State last year, suffered a season-ending knee injury in a loss at Oregon last month. Without Simmons available, the Buckeyes had to reshuffle their line, moving left guard Donovan Jackson to tackle and inserting Carson Hinzman at guard.

This reshuffling of the line debuted in a win at Penn State three weeks ago. The arrival of McLaughlin, an experienced center who made 24 career starts at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State in January, was expected to stabilize the offensive line. However, his injury has once again thrown a wrench into their plans.

Impact on the Team

The Buckeyes were named one of 10 semifinalists last week for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the best offensive line in college football. McLaughlin's injury not only affects their current performance but also their chances of winning this prestigious award. Additionally, his absence has had an impact on the team's rushing attack. Through Week 12, the Buckeyes were averaging 5.25 yards per carry, ranking 23rd in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Their 4.19 average last season was 79th.

Ohio State has also been relatively successful in preventing sacks. They have surrendered just 12 sacks in 10 games, which is a commendable feat. Only 22 out of the 134 FBS teams have allowed fewer sacks. However, with McLaughlin out, the pressure on the remaining offensive linemen has increased.

Backup Options

Who will be Seth McLaughlin's backup on the depth chart? Josh Padilla, a redshirt freshman from Huber Heights, has been the backup behind McLaughlin in recent weeks. He replaced McLaughlin at center when the Buckeyes pulled their starters on offense for their final series of last Saturday's win at Northwestern.

During his radio show earlier this month, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day acknowledged the possibility of moving Carson Hinzman to center if they needed a backup during the stretch run. Hinzman started 12 games at center last year as a redshirt freshman before McLaughlin supplanted him. If Hinzman returns to center, the Buckeyes could turn to Austin Siereveld or Luke Montgomery to step in at left guard. Siereveld made two games at left guard to begin the season when Jackson was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Montgomery has rotated for Hinzman with the second-team offensive line.

Seth McLaughlin's Stats

McLaughlin had made 10 starts this season, logging 565 snaps for the Buckeyes, according to Pro Football Focus. Along with Simmons and right guard Tegra Tshabola, he was one of the only Ohio State starting offensive linemen who had not allowed a sack this year, according to the analytics website.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com. Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts.