Offensive Lineman Zen Michalski Transfers To Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Offensive line was a position of need for Indiana in the transfer portal, and coach Curt Cignetti addressed that by landing Ohio State transfer Zen Michalski.

The 6-foot-6, 319-pound offensive lineman has signed with Indiana, as first reported by On3, bringing Indiana’s incoming transfer class to 14 members. Michalski is the first offensive lineman to transfer to Indiana this offseason, and he joins the Hoosiers with one year of eligibility.

Michalski spent the last four seasons at Ohio State, where he played 260 snaps at left tackle and right guard and 208 snaps on special teams, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

He committed to Ohio State as a four-star recruit ranked No. 208 nationally, No. 21 among offensive tackles and No. 2 in Indiana among class of 2021 recruits, according to 247Sports. Michalski attended Floyd Central High School in Floyd Knobs, Ind.

In 2024, Michalski played 158 snaps at left tackle across eight games for Ohio State and made his first-career start against Nebraska. Among Ohio State offensive lineman, he had the ninth-highest grade for offense (61.8), second-best run-blocking grade (73.8) and 13th-best pass blocking grade (33.2), per PFF.

Michalski suffered an injury Oct. 26 against Nebraska and did not play the rest of the regular season. He returned for Ohio State’s first-round College Football Playoff game against Tennessee and played nine snaps, but he did not play in the Buckeyes’ win over Oregon. He was a backup offensive lineman for Ohio State from 2021-23.

Indiana offensive line coach Bob Bostad has a few key spots to fill going into the 2025 season. Indiana starting center Mike Katic and right tackle Trey Wedig are out of eligibility. Michalski’s playing time came almost exclusively at left tackle for Ohio State, but he could be a candidate to fill in for Wedig at right tackle.

Along with Katic’s departure, there is some uncertainty in the interior of Indiana’s offensive line. Starting left guard Drew Evans suffered a season-ending achilles injury before the Michigan game, and Indiana has not publicly stated a timetable for his return. Nick Kidwell was expected to start at right guard in 2024, but he suffered a knee injury during fall camp and missed the whole season. He would need a medical redshirt to return for an eighth collegiate season.

Indiana left tackle Carter Smith and Bray Lynch are two other offensive lineman returning in 2025 with starting experience. Bostad and the Hoosiers made significant improvements on the offensive line from 2023 to 2024, and now they welcome Michalski to the mix in 2025.