Ohio State redshirt freshman offensive lineman Luke Wypler (53) participates in a drill during spring practice. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Dept. of Athletics
In the months leading up to the Buckeyes’ first game against Minnesota, junior offensive lineman Harry Miller was the presumed starting center.
Even offensive line coach Greg Studrawa revealed Miller took the majority of snaps with the first team offense during preseason camp, just weeks before opening kickoff. But the pregame status report revealed Miller would be unavailable against Minnesota.
Enter redshirt freshman Luke Wypler, a former four-star recruit and No. 1 prep player from New Jersey. Wypler said he learned he’d start in place of Miller around mid-week before playing the Golden Gophers, and that he had to put his hard hat on and compete with his next-man-up mentality.
“My first time getting thrown to the fire, I mean, couldn’t have really handled it any better,” Wypler said. “I’m so thankful that I have coach Stud and all the guys on the O-line in my corner. They really helped me through it. Obviously, you get a little anxiety, get a little nervous before that, and I think that’s part of it. I’m just really excited how it went and that we got a win and got out of Minnesota 1-0.”
Wypler played each offensive snap and contributed along the Buckeyes’ offensive line that paved the way for over 200 rushing yards, all the while preventing a single sack — the first time Ohio State had done so since it played Michigan in 2018.
The Montvale, New Jersey, native said former Buckeyes offensive linemen Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers reached out to him to talk through the jitters he had before making his first-career start. But Wypler said he’d been preparing for the game as if he’d be the starter regardless of any depth chart — and that timeline began months ago.
The work started just days after the national championship loss to No. 1 Alabama in January. Studrawa said Wypler sent him practice videos from inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, with sights on a season still seven months away.
“Luke Wypler is probably the most dedicated guy for a freshman kid to learn the position I’ve ever been around,” Studrawa said. “We get done with the national championship game and two days later, I get videos that he’s in here working out two days after the game: ‘Coach, I want to go win the job.’ Unbelievable.”
He continued to improve throughout the spring. Miller missed all of spring practice due to shoulder surgery, so Wypler garnered many reps with the first team offense.
Wypler said both the return of and increase in spring ball reps gave him the confidence he needed, citing that “iron sharpens iron” when going against the Buckeyes’ defensive line.
Fast forward to the first week of September, Wypler found himself thrust into not only the first game of the season, but a conference game on the road at that. Despite the added rainy conditions, Wypler said he enjoyed the learning moments throughout his first start. But it wasn’t his play he said he was proud of most.
“I think the win as a whole. I think just the win I feel very proud of,” Wypler said. “It was my first start. Just winning the game, I think we all played very well. Obviously there’s mistakes that we have to clean up, but I’m really just proud of the win.”
Head coach Ryan Day did express pride for Wypler’s play. While Day said there were plays he and the rest of the offensive line should improve, he thinks Wypler has shown he can handle playing in conference games that matter.
“It was a hell of a start,” Day said. ”I think that he really handled it well for a young player. I’m proud of him. He’s got to continue to build on that.”
While Wypler may stand 2 inches smaller than the rest of the starting offensive line, he said he pays no mind to it and just puts his passion on display.
He’ll perhaps have another chance to do so against No. 12 Oregon Saturday, as Day said the 6-foot-3 center “will be ready to start” with Miller’s status still up in the air. But at the end of the day, Wypler said he doesn’t just work because he had to — it’s the hobby he’s been passionate about for much of his life.
“This is what I love to do. I think this is my job. I mean, obviously, I’m also a student, but this is something that I love to do,” Wypler said. “It isn’t really hard work when you love to do something. I love to do this. Don’t really think I do anything spectacular. It’s just things I’ve been doing my whole career. Now, it’s just translating to this stage.”
