Buckeyes guard Matthew Jones practicing full speed, says he feels 'great'
ATLANTA — Ohio State right guard Matthew Jones, who has dealt with what he calls a “lingering” right foot injury this season, said during Thursday’s Peach Bowl media day that he feels “great” and is practicing full speed.
Jones missed the regular season finale against Michigan after leaving the Maryland game early.
Enokk Vimahi started in place of the injured Jones in the Buckeyes’ 45-23 defeat to the Wolverines, however, Josh Fryar played the bulk of the snaps at right guard — 62-of-78, according to Pro Football Focus — for the rivalry clash.
Jones, a graduate student with close to 1,500 career snaps under his belt, is part of a veteran Ohio State offensive line that is littered with NFL talent. Jones is one of those future NFLers, although he has taken a step back this season in PFF run blocking grade, perhaps in part because of his foot injury.
Jones was tied for ninth nationally among all offensive guards with a PFF run blocking score of 89.4 last year. That has dropped to 78.4 this season. It’s important to note, though, that his PFF pass blocking grade has climbed from 73.7 in 2021 to 76.5 this year, as he’s allowed just five pressures and zero sacks.
When asked about a moment in which his injury occurred, Jones simply said that it’s been “lingering around, honestly.”
Jones said that he found himself fighting through the pain.
“It’s kind of frustrating,” Jones said. “You do what you can, and sometimes you just try to battle through what you have to do. It kind of holds you back a little bit.”
Jones continued: “Since I’ve had time to actually recover and do what I had to do in the couple weeks that we had, I feel great.”
The month between the Michigan game and Ohio State’s New Year’s Eve Peach Bowl date with top-ranked Georgia has afforded Jones time to actually reset, rather than to keep playing on an injured foot.
He said he’s been practicing full speed and reiterated that he feels “great.”
Jones is presented a chance to face the most vaunted defensive front in college football. The Bulldogs have seven defensive linemen or edge rushers who have logged at least 245 snaps this season, per PFF, and they’re giving up the fewest rushing yards per game in the country.
“I feel like it’s a blessed opportunity,” Jones said. “Praise God. The talent and the ability to be where I’m at now — not everybody has a chance that I have now. Just gotta take advantage of it.”
