Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin suffered a torn Achilles tendon during Tuesday's practice.
The devastating injury will likely cost McLaughlin the remainder of the season. According to the Columbus Missionthe Buckeyes had until the final two games of the regular season.
McLaughlin has been the starting center for all 10 games for Ohio State this season after transferring to the school from Alabama, joining a Buckeyes already missing players on the offensive line.
Carson Hintzman is likely to be the successor to McLaughlin, who played on the offensive line this season.
He played left guard for the Buckeyes' last three games and was the starter at center last year before McLaughlin transferred.
Hintzman praised McLaughlin this year for helping him grow as a player.
“I learned a lot,” Hintzman said. According to On3. “Obviously, it's not something you've been thinking about since last year, but you have a deep conversation with God within yourself and ask why things like that happen, and then you understand. Things like this It could be the best thing.
“Learning from Seth, he's a great player and a great guy.”
McLaughlin made headlines last season during his time at Alabama in the Rose Bowl when he missed several snaps, including a blunder that blocked the Crimson Tide's fourth-point shot from the 3-yard line in overtime.
This season, those cut issues subsided, and he and Ohio State advanced to the semifinals for the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the nation's best offensive line unit.
The Buckeyes lost Josh Simmons to a season-ending knee injury in October's loss to Oregon.
Ohio State will play Indiana this weekend, then take on Michigan State at Ohio Stadium in the final week of the college football regular season.
