So far this preseason, several Buckeyes have shed their black stripe. That includes freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, who seems to be pushing for the backup quarterback position. Until Wednesday, there had been five freshman who had shed their stripe.
On the defensive side of the ball, there have been fewer Ohio State football players who have been able to accomplish that feat. Another one was given that honor, though. Simeon Caldwell, a four-star recruit, has now shed his black stripe to officially become a Buckeye.
Ohio State safety Simeon Caldwell loses his black stripe
Caldwell was a linebacker in high school, but he was recruited as a safety at Ohio State. Caldwell committed early in the 2026 cycle, committing in April of 2025. He never wavered from being a Buckeye, and he has already started impressing the coaches.
Caldwell stands at 6'2 and 210 pounds, so he's big for a safety. He is good enough to switch positions, and Matt Guerrieri is doing a good job of coaching him up. However, the playing time for Caldwell as a true freshman will be hard to find.
Right now, the safety room has one certain starter. That is Jaylen McClain, who was at Big Ten Media Day. However, the other safety spot is likely going to be manned by Duke transfer Terry Moore. LeRoy Roker is fighting for first-team reps during training camp, as well.
With that being the case, it's not going to be easy for Caldwell to see meaningful snaps as a freshman. He will have a better shot next year when Moore is gone. McClain will stay, though, making it harder for anyone else to emerge. Still, it's encouraging to see Caldwell starting to make a big impression on the coaching staff so quickly.
Ohio State's defense will still be nasty this season
Despite losing a lot of talent, the Buckeyes will still have a very strong defense this season. Matt Patricia is back to run the defense, so he will be able to scheme up some great plays to keep the talent at the top of the conference. Last season, Ohio State led the country in several key metrics.
As the top-rated team in the country, Ohio State isn't expected to have much of a drop-off in talent. The secondary will be the strongest part of the defense, which is part of the reason why Caldwell's path to playing time will be so difficult. Jermaine Mathews Jr. is a stud at corner, and he returns as a starter.
The Buckeyes will get their first real defensive test when they visit Austin in Week 2. If they can shut down the Longhorns in Week 2, they will have loads of confidence for the rest of the season. Even though he won't be playing much with the starters, Caldwell will learn a lot this year.
Patricia should be able to develop Caldwell's skills so that he becomes a starter in the future. A safety that big can certainly be an asset.
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