Ohio State '20 IN OL (RS JR) - Josh Fryar

• Fryar feels he’s transitioning “well” from left tackle back to right tackle, where he played last year. “Going against JT, Jack, Kenyatta, all those guys just getting me better every day, that’s the main key.”
• Asked whether the five starting offensive linemen in fall camp currently feels like the “right five,” he said that Frye has continued intertwining guys and getting a sense of how the line functions. But, as Fryar said, “He and I and all of us have a pretty good sense of who it is.”
• On what stands out about Jimmy Simmons: “Athleticism. Freaky athleticism. Watching film and seeing him go up on a linebacker, it’s kind of scary how he moves.”
• After starting against Indiana last year and seeing the field against Michigan, Fryar felt he just had to “keep his head down and keep grinding” to earn a starting spot in 2023.
• Fryar said he doesn’t feel as though freshman Luke Montgomery has “pushed” him, but rather that they’re learning and growing together and that he feels like a mentor to Montgormery.
• As to whether the offensive line has answered the question mark surrounding them with three new starters: “I think we’ve answered it. Just by the film.”
• On what stands out about Carson Hinzman: “He’s super smart and he’s gritty and tough. That’s what stands out to me about him. He’s a Wisconsin guy, he’s got a little accent to him, I always make fun of him for it. But he’s gritty, he knows the game and he’s always communicating.”

 

• On being named Ohio State’s starting RT against Indiana: “I think it means the world. The start means the world. Indiana is a tough team… just gotta go out there and do the fundamentals like Coach Day said.”
• On setting the tone with the run game against the Hoosiers: “I think it’s important. Indiana is a really good team. We will try to establish the run. The pass game will do what it does.” Fryar said if Ohio State’s offensive line can “do its jobs, the rest will take care of itself.”
• Fryar on Indiana: “They have a lot of transfers, but those transfers are good. I think they are gonna be a really good team.”
• Fryar said Ohio State’s offensive line wants to send a message this weekend, but that message is simple: “We go out there, do our job and win the game.”
• On whether or not Ohio State’s offensive line is better at run blocking or pass blocking: “I think we are good all around.”
• On Matt Jones: “Matt is really quiet. He doesn’t talk a lot. But we have a really special connection… I understand his tone, what he gets done… I think it’s really special. Having a guy like that that has played a lot of games really helps.”
• A Beech Grove, Indiana, native, Fryar said he is excited to play in his home state on Saturday. The Buckeyes will return to the Crossroads of America for matchups against Notre Dame, Purdue and possibly for the Big Ten Championship Game.

 

• Fryar called Ohio State’s offensive line play on Saturday “mediocre.” He continued: “But at the same time, I don’t think a lot of people take into account that it’s the first week. You don’t know what they are running. You (only) have previous film.” Fryar added that Indiana has former Ohio State assistant Matt Guerrieri on its staff and added lots of transfers in the offseason, which made scouting the Hoosiers more difficult.
• When asked to summarize his previous description of the offensive line's efforts, Fryar said, “Mediocre, but we have a lot of stuff to improve on.”
• Fryar said “Week 1 to Week 2 should be a major difference” in Ohio State’s offensive line performance and the team’s overall performance on offense.
• Fryar said all of Ohio State’s offense line issues are correctable. “It’s more of a communication issue than anything… Indiana is going to a bowl game this year easily. They are gonna be a good team, a really good team, actually, with that defense. Everything is correctable. It was slight communication errors that we have to fix.”
• On being Ohio State’s only offensive lineman to grade out as a Champion: “You have to keep working. If you stop and sit on the top of the mountain and don’t keep climbing, somebody is going to get you real good.”

 

Ohio State tackle Josh Fryar understands what football can give, and what it can take https://t.co/NIb9tB8pjh

— Columbus Dispatch (@DispatchAlerts) September 22, 2023

 

Not a smart play by Josh Fryar. The penalty negated a first down. pic.twitter.com/ULgpCq88et

— Bill Rabinowitz 🗞 (@brdispatch) September 25, 2023

 

• On if he feels the offensive line is taking a step forward: “I think we’re taking the steps needed to be a really good offensive line.”
• On the offensive line staying relatively healthy this year: “I think it’s huge. Obviously injuries are gonna happen, but it’s a next guy up mentality so you always have to be ready when your number is called.”
• On what areas the offensive line has gotten better: “I think the communication. And being comfortable with how you know the guy is going to double team with you and communicate while you’re on the field in the game. Things like that are necessary to win football games.
• On Carson Hinzman’s communication: “I think Carson is taking the next step and needs to continue being a really good center.”
• On what they hope to accomplish in the last few games: “What we’re doing right now, and enhance it. At the same time, I think when you’re on the same page, you’re running the ball and communicating, you want more of that. It’s a drug. You want to see TreVeyon Henderson breaking off 30 to 40-yard gains.