Ohio State has won four straight games without Phillip Daniels, so apparently, losing your starting right tackle isn’t much of a crisis. The Buckeyes have demolished Kent State, beaten Illinois, handled Iowa, and taken care of Maryland, scoring 177 points without him. Austin Siereveld filled in for three games before Gabe VanSickle took over against Maryland. Four games, four wins. So what’s the problem?

Well, Ryan Day knows those victories don’t mean his offensive line is bulletproof. Beating Maryland with a makeshift lineup is one thing. Taking that same gamble against the defending national champions in Bloomington is another. Indiana isn’t exactly known for making life easy for opposing quarterbacks, and Day has already learned that lesson the hard way.

“Ryan Day said Ohio State will have Phillip Daniels back this week,” Chase Brown reported on X on October 13. “He said the offensive line will face a significant challenge against Indiana’s front, and the Buckeyes must be prepared to play depth against the Hoosiers. No word on Austin Siereveld yet.”

Daniels’ recovery has taken considerably longer than Ohio State expected. The senior suffered a lower-body injury during the fourth quarter against Texas on September 12, and Day admitted on October 6 that he thought the tackle would have returned sooner. Daniels was even close to playing against Maryland, but his readiness remained uncertain. Now, after four games on the sidelines, he’s preparing for a demanding comeback against one of the Big Ten’s toughest defensive fronts.

But there’s a catch. Just as Daniels is expected back, Siereveld, the very player who covered for him, could miss Indiana because of a non-football illness. Talk about unfortunate timing. Day spent weeks adjusting to one starter’s absence, only to face another availability concern before the biggest test of Ohio State’s season.

And Siereveld wasn’t exactly struggling during that stretch. The senior played 213 snaps at right tackle this season, earning a 73.4 overall PFF grade, including a 77.0 run-blocking grade that ranked 26th among 601 tackles. Across 303 offensive snaps, he allowed just four pressures and one sack. Not bad for someone forced to move from his usual right guard position.

Daniels brings credentials of his own. He started all 13 games in 2025, logged 761 offensive snaps, and earned Third-Team All-Big Ten honors. That experience could prove valuable against Indiana’s constantly shifting defensive fronts. But expecting him to immediately regain his rhythm after four weeks without game action is asking quite a lot.

Siereveld’s absence against Maryland also forced Gabe VanSickle to move from right guard to right tackle, while Jake Cook stepped in at guard. But Day has already outlined his plan for Daniels’ return, saying, “We’ll move (VanSickle) back down to guard and move Phil to right tackle and see how the week goes.” The Buckeyes still won 31-14 at Iowa, but surrendering four sacks showed that their reshuffled line wasn’t immune to pressure.

Ryan Day Has No Room for O-Line Mistakes Heading Into Week 7

Indiana is hardly the ideal opponent for another offensive line experiment. The Hoosiers have recorded 20 sacks and 49 tackles for loss through six games, giving offensive coordinator Arthur Smith plenty to worry about. Protecting Julian Sayin will require more than simply getting an experienced tackle back into the lineup.

Asked how Ohio State would respond if backup linemen were needed, Day insisted that the coaching staff had already prepared for such a possibility.

“This is not something that you don’t plan for. We have a plan in place. That’s why we recruit depth. That’s why we develop depth. That’s why we play depth. That’s what we’re going to have to do in this game, and then be prepared for whatever comes with it. The good news is that some of these guys have played against Indiana before, so they know how good these guys are and what comes with it.”

And that previous experience wasn’t particularly pleasant. During last year’s Big Ten Championship Game, Indiana sacked Sayin five times and held Ohio State to just 58 rushing yards on 26 attempts. The Buckeyes managed only 10 points in a 13-10 defeat, despite Jeremiah Smith catching eight passes for 144 yards. So Day doesn’t need another reminder of what happens when Indiana dominates the trenches. He already has one, and it cost Ohio State a conference championship.

Still, Smith gives the Buckeyes a dangerous weapon downfield, provided Sayin has enough time to find him. Quick routes, shorter throws, and a reliable running game could help Arthur Smith counter Indiana’s pressure. But last December proved that talent alone won’t solve protection problems. Day has spent the week preaching preparation and depth. Indiana already exposed Ohio State’s offensive line once, and Daniels’ return gives him another chance to get it right. Another five-sack afternoon would be a brutal way to prove nothing has changed.