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Already making impact after spring transfer, OT Jimmy Simmons loses black stripe

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•08/10/23•

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Josh Fryar by Matt Parker -- Lettermen Row --
Ohio State offensive tackles Josh Fryar and Josh Simmons. (Matt Parker/Lettermen Row)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State brought San Diego State transfer Jimmy Simmons to compete for a starting offensive tackle spot, and the redshirt sophomore is already well on his way in the process.

Simmons shed his black stripe Thursday, the same day as center Victor Cutler Jr., another Buckeyes offensive line transfer addition.

“I can tell you that we’re very excited about about Jimmy Simmons,” Day said Wednesday. “He’s off to a great start. And I think Luke Montgomery has a really bright future ahead of him. So again, these are all exciting things. Tegra [Tshabola], there’s a lot of good things, Josh Fryar has done good things. So I can’t tell you that one’s in front of the other.”

But those four are performing at the highest level right now, Day said. That group is in the running for two starting tackle positions, which are vacant after 2022 first-team All-Americans Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones left for the NFL this offseason.

“When we lost Paris [Johnson] in the third year, usually you don’t lose too many offensive linemen after three years,” Day said at Big Ten Media Days last month. “Paris is a special case, and that left a hole there that we had to fill. Anytime we had tackles in the transfer portal, we looked long and hard at them, watched the film and tried to identify them. Brought [Simmons] in, you know, and tried to do the best we could and find the best candidate for what we’re looking for.”

Day added: “Sometimes it’s about the fit and who they are. But with [Simmons], we saw a lot of athleticism there and a huge upside.”

Simmons was first recruited by Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye when Frye was still at UCLA. Simmons was the No. 24 interior O-Lineman in the 2021 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, and had a host of Power Five offers but chose SDSU. He redshirted his freshman year and then became the Aztecs’ starting right tackle last season, playing 799 offensive snaps.

Simmons had his highs and lows in 2022, notably struggling with penalties, but it was performances like those against Arizona and Air Force — where he allowed one combined pressure — that showed what kind of player the 6-foot-5, 310-pound tackle can be.

Jimmy Simmons joins Victor Cutler Jr. in shedding black stripe

Sophomore offensive linemen George Fitzpatrick and Tegra Tshabola lost their black stripes the second week of this year’s spring practice, along with Ole Miss transfer cornerback Davison Igbinosun and true freshman wide receiver Carnell Tate. Oregon State transfer quarterback Tristan Gebbia and senior walk-on offensive lineman Quinton Burke shed their black stripes later in spring ball. And so did true freshman safety Malik Hartford and true freshman tight end Jelani Thurman. Both Simmons and Victor Cutler Jr. shed their black stripes Thursday. Now, four Ohio State transfer additions have received the post-practice honor this year.

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 23 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 108 days

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