Ohio State C Seth McLaughlin on snap issues: 'We definitely have a plan moving forward'
When center Seth McLaughlin hiked the ball to quarterback Jalen Milroe on fourth-and-goal in overtime of the Rose Bowl, it was off target.
The snap was low, prompting Milroe to field it as if he were a shortstop scooping up a ground ball on a baseball diamond. As a result of the exchange, Milroe was delayed by a split-second, and he was stuffed at the 4-yard line, unable to force double overtime.
Maize confetti soon fluttered in the Southern California sky. Michigan was moving on to the College Football Playoff final as Alabama’s pursuit of a national championship was over.
That added to the scrutiny of McLaughlin, a veteran offensive lineman who had trouble snapping at previous points last fall.
A month later, McLaughlin is at Ohio State after transferring and has sought to maintain perspective on the disappointment.
“I can’t control what happened in the past,” McLaughlin said. “I can’t control what happened in that game. I can’t control the public reaction to that. But I’m here now. I’m in a great place to continue my development and play for an incredible program and incredible coaches.
“So I’m really very positive. I have no negative feelings about what happened. It is what it is. It’s exciting moving forward.”
McLaughlin's experience – 25 starts with the Crimson Tide over the past three seasons – should stabilize an offensive line that was shaky in 2023. His blocking ability – he allowed just one sack since 202 – should also be a boon.
But inconsistent snaps could spell trouble.
When McLaughlin visited Ohio State, he watched film cut-ups with offensive line coach Justin Frye. It was a chance for Frye to go over his strengths and weaknesses and point out areas for improvement. Those included snapping.
“The first major part of a football play is getting the ball to the quarterback,” McLaughlin said. “It doesn’t matter if you can’t get the ball to the quarterback and start the play. We definitely have a plan moving forward.”
To McLaughlin, the solution is simple.
“Getting back into the rhythm,” he said. “I’ve been snapping a football since I was 7 and never had issues with it previously in my career. Just getting back, snapping it into the quarterback’s hands, it’s like shooting a free throw.”
The issues spiraled for him last year.
“Once you have a bad one, you kind of start thinking, ‘OK, I've got to get this right,’ ” McLaughlin said. “I don't think I was really struggling from a mental standpoint. It was just a matter of it would happen.”
If he puts his bad snaps behind him, the Buckeyes are poised to benefit. Carson Hinzman struggled last season as the team's starting center and was benched for the Cotton Bowl, creating a potential opening on the depth chart in addition to right guard. (Matt Jones' eligibility expired after this past season.)
McLaughlin has practiced at guard with Alabama, bringing enough versatility to fill other holes in the interior of the offensive line, but he said this week that he will remain at center.
“I came here just as an offensive lineman,” he said. “I didn’t come for a specific position. There’s a lot of talent in the room, and I’m just going to try to fit in the best way I can.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch and can be reached at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football center Seth McLaughlin on snap issues at Alabama
