Fiesta Bowl 2016: Ohio State vs. Clemson

Ohio State's quarterback J.T. Barrett can not get away from the grasp of Clemson's Albert Huggins in the fourth quarter of Saturday's Fiesta Bowl.

(Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer)

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Michael Jordan sat on a trainer's table behind Ohio State's bench at University of Phoenix Stadium, his head hanging low as someone worked on his injured right ankle.

The true freshman left guard had suffered a sprained ankle when someone rolled up on his leg during a play in the first quarter. Jordan sat there dejected, not sure if he'd come back into the game. His teammate and fellow true freshman, Austin Mack, came over to Jordan, put an arm around him and offered some words of encouragement.

This was a new experience for Jordan, who was thrust into a starting role early and a victim of an up-and-down season that's the only fair expectation of a true freshman offensive lineman.

"At first I couldn't walk at all. I didn't think I'd come back," Jordan said in the locker room after Ohio State's 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.

"The reason why I play is for my unit. If I'm not out there giving my all I feel like I'm letting them down."

A lot went into the Buckeyes being blown out in the desert. But you could make the argument that the offensive line, especially guard, was the spot they could least afford to lose someone.

Jordan missed the next series after the injury. Demetrius Knox took his spot. After an attempted return, Jordan sat again in the second quarter, unable to move the way he wanted on that injured ankle.

On Knox's first snap, he held up decently on pass protection. On the next snap, his man blew by him and stopped a Curtis Samuel jet sweep in the backfield for a loss.

Ohio State recruits well enough that when one player goes down, there shouldn't be a drop-off to the next guy. Especially on the offensive line, where the Buckeyes' have signed a handful of players in the last couple recruiting classes. But that depth never developed to the point where Ohio State liked it, which is why Jordan was starting in the first place.

Buckeyes' coach Urban Meyer said earlier this week that true freshmen starting on the offensive line at a place like Ohio State shouldn't happen. You saw on Saturday why he had those concerns.

"Little bit," junior guard Billy Price said when asked if losing a starter threw Ohio State's offensive line out of whack. "Just due to the fact that there's a chemistry that goes behind the preparation."

That's not to say Ohio State wasn't confident in Knox when he got in there. It's just that Knox has barely played in his three years in the program, and has had some injury issues. To expect him to come in and give a boost was a big ask, and highlighted the possibility that maybe Ohio State hasn't always been as thorough as it could be in evaluating offensive linemen.

"It was a good feeling (to play)," Knox said. "I just felt like (offensive line) Coach (Greg) Studrawa put us in the right position. He gave us all the tools we needed. As a unit we couldn't execute, but our coaching staff put us in the best position."

Ohio State has been fortunate, almost uniquely so, that it's been able to keep its starting offensive line together over the course of the season for most of Meyer's tenure.

Minor bumps and bruises called for in-game adjustments, but the Buckeyes' always had a guy to step in and fill the void. Think Pat Elflein stepping in at guard against Michigan in 2013 after Marcus Hall's ejection, or Chase Farris coming in against Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl and paving the way for an Ezekiel Elliott touchdown after center Jacob Boren missed a few plays.

The Buckeyes just didn't have that for this playoff run.

Every player took his turn in Ohio State's offensive struggles, so this isn't to single out Knox for struggling on his few snaps, or Jordan for not quite being 100 percent when he finally came back in the game for good in the second half.

But offensive line was a real concern for Ohio State coming in against Clemson's stout defensive front, and those concerns ended up coming to fruition, compounded by Jordan's injury.

The Buckeyes' couldn't run the ball, averaging 3.8 yard per carry -- a misleading number when you consider most of Ohio State's rushing yards came on one 64-yard Samuel run. Clemson had 11 tackles for loss, and quarterback J.T. Barrett was sacked three times.

Give Jordan credit for fighting through the pain with a heavily-taped right ankle, and Knox for stepping into an uncomfortable role in a huge game.

"Just told (Knox) just to go hard," Jordan said. "Play for me because I know I'd do the same for him. I play for my whole unit and I knew Meech would do that same."

But also put developing offensive line depth on the top of Ohio State's list of things to get done this spring, right up there next to becoming a better passing team.

That major hole showed most at the worst time for the Buckeyes.