For the first time this season, Josh Padilla earned reps with the Buckeyes first team offense, but it wasn’t at his primary position.
Typically slotted as Ohio State’s backup center, Padilla earned snaps as the first string offense’s right guard in place of starter Tegra Tshabola during the Buckeyes’ 42-3 win over Minnesota.
Padilla stepped in for Tshabola at right guard for two of Ohio State’s drives in the second quarter, before returning to play center with the second team late in the game.
During head coach Ryan Day’s weekly press conference Tuesday, he said Padilla’s tireless effort in practice earned time with the first team offense.
“I think it’s more about the work Josh is putting in on a daily basis,” Day said. “This is a guy who plays center and plays guard and just goes to work every day and you just watch the way he plays.”
In his second game appearance of the season (Grambling State, 20 snaps), Padilla logged 19 snaps against the Golden Gophers while the Ohio State offensive line didn’t allow a single sack.
Day said Padilla’s improvement and relentless motor have stood out, noting those as key reasons he hopes to expand the lineman’s role.
“When you watch our second group go out there late in the game, they usually go three-and-out, these guys went right down the field. When we see Josh out there, we see really good play. We wanted Josh to get some work at right guard because we feel like he deserved that opportunity.”
