Former Alabama center Seth McLaughlin was one of several Crimson Tide players to enter the transfer portal this week after the Rose Bowl loss to Michigan, and on Saturday he announced his commitment to the Wolverines' top rival, Ohio State.
McLaughlin joins former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard as high profile transfer portal additions for the Ohio State offense as the Buckeyes eye a return to the top of the Big Ten in 2024. The versatile 6-foot-4, 305-pound offensive lineman started all 14 games for Alabama in 2023 and has 25 starts across his college career. He rated as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the portal, carrying a four-star designation in the 247Sports transfer rankings.
On the surface, an 11-2 campaign would be acceptable at most programs, but Ohio State coach Ryan Day is tasked with making improvements to the roster in the wake of a third straight loss to Michigan and third straight season without getting a chance to play for the Big Ten championship.
The 14-3 Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri brought more attention to an offense that had taken a step back from the year prior, ranking outside the top 40 in scoring (30.5 points per game) and total offense (407.9), and outside the top 20 in yards per play (6.38). Ohio State's defense was championship caliber in 2023, but issues along the offensive line and at quarterback contributed to those sub-standard offensive rankings. Adding an experienced and versatile piece like McLaughlin pairs with the Howard addition to address those issues.
