Tegra Tshabola entered his name into the transfer portal on Sunday, leaving the Ohio State Buckeyes after four seasons in Cbus. The former Lakota West Firebird has one year of eligibility remaining.
Bucknuts' Dave Biddle had a depressing two-pronged message for Tshabola, though there's a silver lining: Tshabola will definitely have Power 4 interest, it just won't be with a program on par with the Ohio State University.
He also leaves his home state's flagship school, having clearly not earned the trust of his coaching staff during his swan song season.
"...in the vast majority of games this past season, Tshabola typically rotated out of the contest at the start of the third offensive series. He would usually re-enter the game the following series or later in the game, but it was certainly a sign that the coaching staff did not feel that he was performing up to his potential," Biddle wrote.
"That being said, Tshabola will still be an attractive option for many college programs that are in the market for an offensive lineman due to his size, potential, and vast experience."
"A reasonable guess is that Tshabola will transfer to a team that is in a 'Power Four' conference, but it will likely be a program that is considered a rung or two below Ohio State."
Ohio State's OL should improve in 2026
To some, Tshabola's exit is good news. Biddle's post had more good news for Buckeye fans who are hoping 2025/2026 was just a down year for an Ohio State squad that should've won the CFP title on talent alone.
Per Biddle, "Ohio State is expected to return several offensive linemen that either started or played key roles in 2025. The returning starters include left tackle Austin Siereveld, left guard Luke Montgomery, center Carson Hinzman, and right tackle Phillip Daniels. Also playing big roles for the Buckeyes in 2025 were tackle Ian Moore, guard/center Joshua Padilla, and guard Gabe VanSickle."
While Gabe VanSickle struggled mightily in OSU's Cotton Bowl loss to the Miami Hurricanes, another year playing with a nearly identical group will be good for his development. Snagging a right guard in the portal is probably on Ryan Day's mind.
Even if not, the Buckeyes should be improved in 2026 in front of Julian Sayin, who is now working his way back up after struggling in the CFP himself.