Scarlet Sunrise: Trio of freshman Buckeyes lose black stripes

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Trio of freshman Buckeyes lose black stripes

The Ohio State freshman class continues to shine during training camp.

Three members of the highest-ranked class in program history all lost their black stripes after the final scrimmage of the preseason over the weekend.

Five-star offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, cornerback Jordan Hancock and do-it-all defensive back Jantzen Dunn had their black stripes removed, a sign that they are officially members of the football program.

Jackson is already working his way into the two-deep on the offensive line while Hancock and Dunn are making their presence known in the secondary as the Buckeyes get closer to kickoff, less than two weeks away.

All three have a chance to have special Ohio State careers, especially after losing their black stripes over the weekend.

ICYMI: Ohio State names C.J. Stroud starting quarterback

The Buckeyes publicly announced C.J. Stroud as the starting quarterback against Minnesota on Saturday morning, signaling that the shift from Training Camp Mode into preparations for the season opener is underway.

With less than two weeks remaining until the Buckeyes begin their defense of the Big Ten crown at Minnesota, the coaching staff removed whatever uncertainty remained at the most important position on the roster by tabbing Stroud for the job.

“We are going to name C.J. Stroud the starting quarterback for the Minnesota game,” Day said. “I thought over the body of work … separated himself.”

Stroud has been the odds-on favorite for the role since the end of last season after he had earned the backup job behind Justin Fields as a true freshman.

Since then, Stroud had continued to lead the line in every individual drill dating back to spring camp. He had consistently been getting the first snaps in team periods whenever practices were open for media viewing. And he had drawn rave reviews for his work ethic and leadership during offseason conditioning and summer throwing sessions with the wide receivers.

READ MORE: Buckeyes officially tab C.J. Stroud as starting quarterback

Evan Pryor, TreVeyon Henderson elevating Buckeyes running back room

Ohio State landed two of the top-five running backs in the country in the class of 2021. Evan Pryor and TreVeyon Henderson both bring plenty of talent to the Buckeyes room.

But they also are elevating the entire unit, making the veterans better while becoming keys to the offense along the way. Lettermen Row’s Jeremy Birmingham has more:

Competition isn’t new at Ohio State. The level of talent pushing Teague is. There’s a higher expectation on the freshman than the veterans. Teague has battled injuries. Marcus Crowley hasn’t been healthy in more than a year, either. Miyan Williams — Porkchop — was considered by most to be an afterthought when he was signed with the Buckeyes in 2020.

But Treveyon Henderson? He was the country’s No. 1-ranked running back when he arrived early to Ohio State from Hopewell (Va.) High School. Just his presence elevates the profile of the room. That said, recruiting accolades don’t mean anything once the college eligibility gets started. He has to earn his stripes and so far he and Pryor — also a Top 5-ranked running back — have done that.

READ: Treveyon Henderson, Evan Pryor ‘elevate’ Ohio State running backs

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