Versatility, Consistency Will Have Austin Siereveld In Buckeyes’ Lineup

The days of Austin Siereveld surprising the Ohio State coaches seem to be over. After being named one of three Iron Buckeyes following winter workouts, it was clear that he was on a track towards being a major contributor this season.

In fall camp last year as a redshirt freshman, no OSU offensive lineman made a bigger rise than Siereveld. He got reps at both tackle and guard, thanks in part to a virus that struck the offensive line room. Siereveld made the most of those opportunities and even started the first two games at left guard while returning starter Donovan Jackson recovered from injury.

Siereveld then started four more games at left guard late in the year as a part of a three-man guard rotation with fourth-year junior Tegra Tshabola and sophomore Luke Montgomery.

This spring, Siereveld opened camp at left tackle and essentially moved up and down the line playing every position except for center. He finished camp at right tackle, where he is now the favorite to start in 2025.

Siereveld was not the only offensive lineman to play multiple positions this spring, however, as that was the plan for everybody. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day wanted each of the offensive linemen to have a primary position and a secondary position. That was nothing new for Siereveld, who impressed his coaches all spring long.

“The idea of playing a primary position and then a secondary position has been really good,” Day said recently. “I thought Austin did a nice job moving around. I think he really took a big step for us. I don’t think we’re in a position to really get into who’s starting and who isn’t and at what positions, but Austin Siereveld is going to be a starter for us. He’s an excellent player. Really had a good spring for us.”

Day and Ohio State offensive line coach Tyler Bowen will be looking for their top five linemen and then figure things out from there. For Day to already put Siereveld in that group is a big statement for somebody with six career starts.

But Day is not alone.

“Yeah, I think Austin’s been awesome,” offensive coordinator Brian Hartline said this spring. “He’s played every position. We just move him around and he handles it. He’s one of those guys I feel like you watch film over and over again, day after day, and his name never really gets brought up — in a good way. On the O-line, your name gets brought up when you’re usually not going well.”

The offensive line is at the point of attack on every single play, so there is nowhere to hide. Everything gets seen, and what the Buckeye coaches have seen from Austin Siereveld to this point has him trending towards a starting job in the fall.

“Austin, when his name gets brought up, it’s like, ‘Man, that was a good job. Good job passing off that combo,’ whatever, it’s always positive,” Hartline said. “I’ve been really impressed with him. He started in the winter, did a great job through the winter. Again, continues to build the respect of his peers. And then he’s done a good job, really good job, just being very consistent through spring.”

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