What losing Wyatt Davis means for Buckeyes moving forward

COLUMBUS — Wyatt Davis got the opportunity he had dreamed about for years.

It didn’t come the way the Ohio State guard imagined. It definitely didn’t end the way he wanted.

But even after coming up short in the title game after a year that started with him opting out due to the Big Ten’s botched cancellation of the season and included plenty of pain along the way with what appeared to be a nagging knee injury, that journey was still more than worth it for Davis. And that final year with the Buckeyes that almost didn’t happen solidified his spot as one of the best the program has ever seen on the offensive line.

“It’s huge — I mean, there were guys on my team after the Clemson game messing with me about it, saying: Wow, you would have chose to sit out and miss out on this,” Davis said before the national championship. “It’s honestly crazy just how everything that I wanted to happen this season is happening.

“Words can’t really describe how I feel personally just to have this opportunity I’m in. I remember watching in high school the national championship and just how much of a big deal it is for me, me telling myself at a young age back then: Hopefully one day I’ll be on that field playing. Here I am now a couple years later with that opportunity.”

The Buckeyes couldn’t finish it off with a win over Alabama to help send Davis off to the NFL Draft with a College Football Playoff crown. There were still no regrets for one of the heart-and-soul leaders of the program, and as Lettermen Row breaks down the impact of his departure, it’s clear that he gave everything he had to Ohio State before the time was right for him to move on to the next level.

What Wyatt Davis meant to Ohio State

From the fiery speeches in the locker room to the work ethic on the practice field and his utter dominance on game day, Wyatt Davis was an all-encompassing leader for the Buckeyes. His remarkable blend of size, footwork, power and agility always pointed to stardom for him on the offensive line, but Davis still had to put in the effort to maximize those gifts — and he quite obviously did that. Just how impressive was he in the trenches? After starting for just one season, the Big Ten awards voters had already seen enough to name him to the league’s All-Decade Team.

Davis could have easily moved on after that breakout season or after opting out in September, but he chose to come back to the Buckeyes twice. Those decisions resonate with teammates and send a message about the strength of the Ohio State culture, and when combined with his stellar performance on the field, Davis proved to be one of the most invaluable members of the program.

How Buckeyes could look at guard now

The clearest indication that Ohio State has elevated the depth, talent and versatility of the offensive line is that it’s set to lose one of the best interior linemen in school history and doesn’t have to lose any sleep. There was a time not that long ago when the Buckeyes were seemingly always an injury or defection away from disaster up front, but now Greg Studrawa has a position group that should be able to absorb the loss of Davis without suffering too much of a drop-off.

No, it’s not fair to expect the next guy to simply slide into that spot and instantly become an All-Decade selection. But Matthew Jones proved last season that he was ready to handle a prominent role at guard when he came off the bench, and Ohio State has not been shy talking about the potential Paris Johnson brings to the unit as he likely kicks to guard for a season before taking over at tackle. Those two are the favorites heading into spring to man the inside spots next to center Harry Miller, although Dawand Jones, Enokk Vimahi and Luke Wypler will all be right in the mix as well. All of them have spent time learning from Davis and will be fully aware of what’s expected from them.

Evaluating impact of losing Wyatt Davis

There’s never an ideal moment to lose somebody as uniquely gifted as Wyatt Davis, and it would be crazy to expect that Ohio State will simply replace everything he provided without a hitch. But the Buckeyes also might never be more prepared for that critical moment than they are right now thanks to the talent assembled and the legacy Davis is leaving behind in the meeting room. Both he and Josh Myers set the standard for the program on and off the field, and needing to fill the shoes of both of them this offseason is a tall order. Few teams anywhere could deal with those high-caliber departures and still expect to field one of the best offensive lines in the country next season, but Ohio State is one of them.

Bottom line: There’s nothing fun about trying to replace an All-Decade selection at guard for the Buckeyes. But Wyatt Davis gave the program everything it could have wanted, including the mentorship of his future replacement.

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