Though Austin Mack was one of the most coveted wide receivers in the county for the 2016 recruiting cycle, holding scholarship offers from programs such as Alabama, Michigan and Notre Dame, he started at the bottom of the totem pole at Ohio State.
Like all other true freshmen, Mack began his collegiate career with a black stripe on his helmet to signify his status a newcomer. Though you're already on the team, having your black stripe removed has become a right of passage for the players. It means the staff feels you're worthy of suiting up for the Buckeyes on Saturdays.
When the Buckeyes concluded spring practice last year, Mack became the first early enrollee to have his stripe removed. It was the earliest a player had ever had his removed in Columbus.
| PLAYER | POSITION | REMOVAL DATE |
|---|---|---|
| DE'VAN BOGARD AND NOAH SPENCE | DB/DE | AUG. 9, 2012 |
| JOE RAMSTETTER | WR | AUG. 9, 2013 |
| CURTIS SAMUEL AND RAEKWON MCMILLAN | RB/LB | AUG. 10, 2014 |
| ISAIAH PRINCE | OL | AUG. 13, 2015 |
| AUSTIN MACK | WR | MARCH 31, 2016 |
Head coach Urban Meyer, of course, started the tradition when he was at Bowling Green, and carried it with him through stops at Utah and Florida.
“I wanted to put them through a ritual to become a member of the team, but not allow hazing,” Meyer told The Columbus Dispatch in 2012. “They had to earn it the right way, not through hazing and silly, dangerous stuff. They had to earn the right on the football field and by being accountable.”
Now for the second year in a row, Ohio State is tasked with replacing a wave of starters — most notably in the secondary — who departed for the National Football League. And with the expectations surrounding the program at an all-time high, players are asked to contribute almost immediately.
This year's star-studded recruiting class, which finished with the highest per-player average in the country, certainly has a chance to make an early impact. But, of course, before they can see playing time, the true freshmen have to have their black stripe removed.
With Ohio State welcoming nine players this spring, the largest number of early enrollees in school history, there's a good chance another Buckeyes will lose his black stripe this spring. So which three have the best chance?
JEFFREY OKUDAH
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Okudah is already among the most mature 18-year-olds I've ever seen, thanks in part to his late mother. Don't believe me? Read the touching letter he wrote to her following his commitment.
And to think his talent on the field far exceeds his maturity off it.
For that reason alone, Okudah is the most likely incoming freshman to lose his black stripe during spring practice.
His large frame and great speed will help him make a name for himself early, and with starting cornerbacks Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore off to the NFL, the staff will certainly look to Okudah to step in and make an immediate impact on the secondary.
JOSH MYERS
The 6-foot-6, 306-pound Myers is a workout warrior whose strength has likely already impressed the staff on numerous occasions in the weight room.
Remember the time he flipped a 1,000-pound industrial tire?
How about when he power snatched 155 pounds with one arm?
Myers is expected to compete for the starting right guard spot vacated by Billy Price, who will shift over to center, so he'll certainly get the reps to make himself known early. And after watching the offensive line get repeatedly destroyed in the Fiesta Bowl, Myers simply holding his own against the defensive line may be enough.
SHAUN WADE
The 6-foot-1, 177-pound Wade is arguably the most talented freshman in the country, as he was named the USA TODAY Sports Defensive Player of the Year and led his high school to four consecutive state titles. He's so good at what he does, it oftentimes doesn't even look like he's exerting energy.
His father, Randy, agreed with that assessment following U.S. Army All-American Bowl practice.
“I remember getting on Shaun in Pop Warner and high school not thinking he was going hard. That's just the way he is,” the elder Wade told Eleven Warriors. “Game time seems to be a little different."
If the staff can see past his nonchalant manner and judge him solely on his ability to shut down opposing wideouts, Wade certainly has a chance to impress early.
