Ohio State looks to rebuild lines after exodus of stars

COLUMBUS (AP) — Of the many holes he's got to fill on Ohio State's depleted depth chart, coach Urban Meyer has talked this spring about the offensive and defensive lines as the most-critical areas of concern.

That's easy to understand. Gone from the offensive line are All-American left tackle Taylor Decker, right tackle Chase Farris and center Jacoby Boren. From the defensive front, Joey Bosa has departed for the NFL and likely could be among the first picks in the draft later this month. Also gone are veteran defensive tackles Adolphus Washington and Tommy Schutt.

A good bit of rebuilding is required for sure. Even after coaches settle on starters, depth potentially will be an issue on both lines. Some freshmen and other inexperienced players surely will see significant playing time this fall, which always makes coaches uneasy.

On offense, fifth-year senior Pat Elflein is sliding over from right guard to the critical position of center, and Billy Price of Austintown returns at left guard. Jamarco Jones, who played behind Decker the last two seasons, is the likely starter at left tackle. Those three are the anchors. Isaiah Prince, who played little as a freshman last year, appears to be the top candidate at right tackle.

Early enrolled freshman Michael Jordan is earning raves from Meyer and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa this spring. They're talking about the possibility of the 6-foot-7, 316-pound Jordan starting at guard as a freshman, which is an exceedingly rare occurrence on the offensive line at Ohio State.