It has become a right of passage of sorts ever since former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer brought the tradition to the banks of the Olentangy. Once a Buckeye newcomer shows that he has done everything effort and culture-wise to be considered a part of the program, he is “officially” considered a part of the team and has the black tape removed to reveal the scarlet stripe down the middle of the helmet.
Every time it occurs, the Ohio State football team announces it on Twitter and the player says a few words to his teammates in a very brief ceremony. It’s a big deal though, and a lot of times the players that have their black stripe removed the earliest go on to become the stars of tomorrow.
We’ve already seen quite a few OSU newcomers (freshmen and transfers), be awarded with the removal of their black stripe, and we’re keeping track of them all in our tracker. Here is a real-time look at each Ohio State football newcomer that sheds their black stripe, the video of it, and when it occurred all the way from spring through fall camp 2022 — and beyond.