Thayer Munford 'will be available' for Buckeyes opener
COLUMBUS — Dealing with an injury is nothing new for Thayer Munford.
Like normal, though, it doesn’t appear that any health concerns will keep the Ohio State veteran off the field.
After a shortened training camp due to an undisclosed ailment, the multi-year starter, captain and Block O recipient is still expected to be ready to got for Ohio State in the season opener on Thursday night at Minnesota.
“I mean, he’s going to be available,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said during his Monday press conference. “But if he wasn’t, we have some good, solid backups behind him.”
The exact makeup of the offensive line remains unclear as the four-time defending Big Ten champs open their title defense on the road, and Munford’s presence obviously will play a key role in determining how the Buckeyes will look up front.
Munford approached the coaching staff about the possibility of kicking inside to guard after starting for the last few seasons at tackle, opening a role for Dawand Jones on the right side. If Munford does start as expected, he would likely be flanked by Nicholas Petit-Frere at left tackle, Harry Miller at center and Paris Johnson at right guard for one of the most physically-imposing units in the country.
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If for some reason Thayer Munford couldn’t go, the Buckeyes would likely tab Matthew Jones for a start at guard. But Munford has consistently proven his toughness while playing through pain, one of the factors that helped him earn the honorary Block O patch as a top leader at Ohio State.
“First off, he’s from Ohio,” Day said. “Secondly, he’s been through a lot in his career. He was a guy who wasn’t very highly recruited, he had to lose a bunch of weight to even earn a scholarship here, had a back injury along the way and overcame a lot of obstacles. He’s done everything the right way and decided to come back for another year.
“He just has the respect of everybody around here.”
And Thayer Munford will again be around all those Buckeyes in uniform as the season opens on Thursday.