Any hope that the Buckeyes would have their full starting offensive line together in today's game versus Iowa has been dashed. Ohio State right tackle Phillip Daniels will miss his third straight game when the Buckeyes battle Iowa at Kinnick Stadium today.
Daniels first left the loss to Texas in Austin three weeks ago in the fourth quarter with a lower-body injury. He hasn't been back on the field since, missing the Kent State, Illinois, and now the Hawkeyes matchups.
Daniels is at least somewhat close to returning. This past Monday, during media availability, Day hinted that he'd be a game-time decision.
"We'll see how Phillip does this week, see how he looks, and then make the decision on what we're going to do from there," Day said.
While Daniels struggled against the Cardinals in Week 1, grading out as a 59.8 by PFF's grading system, he upped that to a respectable 68.4 in the loss to the Longhorns.
Who starts at right tackle with Phillip Daniels out?
Without Daniels on the edge, Austin Siereveld will slide over once again from the right guard spot. Siereveld was supposed to reprise his natural role as a guard this season after spending last year as the blindside tackle.
His versatility is helping Day and Tyler Bowen out in a major way here.
In Siereveld's spot at right guard is Gabe VanSickle. Day shared on Monday approval for the job VanSickle has done on the interior.
"I will say that Phil did some good things before his injury. But I also think Gabe has really been a bright spot for us in a lot of areas. It's not been perfect, but he's getting better with every rep," Day said.
Before the injury, Daniels was at risk of losing his job. It seemed he avoided getting sacked due to his job performance, but now it appears he may be a victim of bad luck with injuries and timing.
Is Iowa the toughest defensive line Ohio State will face?
Iowa is the nation's No. 1 scoring defense through the first month of the season, but the Hawkeyes' vaunted secondary is the true impetus. Still, Iowa being so strong at the goal line means the defensive line is doing something right. The Hawkeyes are holding opponents to a 71.43% success rate in the red zone this season.
Left EDGE Kenneth Merrieweather graded out as the top defensive lineman last week during a last-second win over TTUN. Merrieweather has bulked up in recent years, up to 270 pounds from his initial weight of 235 pounds out of high school. He's still maintained a quick first step, though.
Merrieweather could give Siereveld issues, since the latter tends to struggle against elite athletes on the edge. Texas's Colin Simmons and the Miami duo of Reuben Bain and Akheem Mesidor generated consistent pressure against Siereveld during the 2025 opener and the 2025/2026 CFP eliminator.
We'll see how the Buckeyes' veteran group handles a front line that is outperforming expectations in hostile territory. That Kinnick Stadium crowd will be loud, and communication could be an issue.
Luckily, the veteran depth of this offensive line provided versatility when it was needed. We'll see how they fare in Iowa City at the beginning of a hellish month for OSU.
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