When Ohio State freshman quarterback Julian Sayin lost his black stripe on Monday, he did so five years to the day that former Buckeye wide receiver and 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson lost his.

That would seem to be a pretty good sign, no?

Of course, Sayin losing his black stripe hasn’t been the first hint that he has been performing well this spring, but it is the latest mile marker to let us know that he is coming along nicely.

Not only did Sayin lose his black stripe earlier than any other freshman quarterback since Urban Meyer brought the tradition to Ohio State, he is the only freshman quarterback to lose his black stripe in the spring.

Thirteen freshman quarterbacks have been through Ohio State since 2012. Ten of them enrolled in the winter like Sayin and took part in spring practice — though CJ Stroud and Jack Miller had their springs canceled after just a couple of practices.

Here is the order in which they had their black stripes removed, from earliest to latest.

[Note: Joe Burrow lost his black stripe on August 13 of his redshirt freshman season.]

Another interesting aspect of Julian Sayin losing his black stripe after 12 practices is that only EIGHT Buckeyes total have lost theirs earlier than that.

You’re talking over 200 freshmen since 2012 — many of whom are in the NFL right now — and only eight of them lost their stripes before Sayin.

No, not all of those 200+ players enrolled early, but a large enough number of them did, signifying that what Sayin has done is more than just notable.

Here is the short list of players who lost their black stripes earlier than Julian Sayin.

A player losing his black stripe early is not a guarantee of future success, but it provides a glimpse that he is excelling for a true freshman. Losing it as early as Julian Sayin has is more footnote than fortune telling, but you don’t need to be a soothsayer to see Sayin’s potential already starting to show.

In this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr discuss what this stripe removal means, how rare it is, how it compares to other positions, and how much their feelings have changed on whether or not Julian Sayin could actually win the starting job this season.

Rundown

The Eclipse and traffic experiences. 0:00
- Tom and Tony discuss their experiences during the total solar eclipse, with Tom describing his successful journey to a nearby town and Tony sharing his experience with the eclipse from home.
Eclipses, quarterbacks, and black stripes. 3:02
- Tom Orr and Tony Gerdeman discuss the solar eclipse, with Tom expressing disbelief at how quickly people returned to their normal, negative behavior after the eclipse.
- Tom predicted Julian Sayin would be the next freshman quarterback to lose their black stripe, citing a “heavenly” sign and Julian’s high pick in the black stripe draft.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Steen’s black stripe removal. 7:14
- Tony: First Ohio State freshman quarterback to lose black stripe in spring ball, indicating rare achievement and potential for future success.
- Tom: Loss of black stripe in spring indicates guy has physical tools, leadership, discipline, and soft factors, which can lead to success as college football player.
- Tom Orr and Tony Gerdeman discuss Julian Sayin’s progress as a freshman quarterback at Ohio State, with Orr expressing optimism about his growth and Gerdeman highlighting the significance of Sayin losing his black stripe in the spring.
Ohio State football quarterbacks and their black stripe status. 12:14
- Tom highlights Julian Sayin as an early enrollee who lost the black stripe before other freshmen, including Dwayne Haskins and Kienholz.
- Tony points out that 10 of the 13 freshmen QBs in the black stripe era enrolled in spring
- Tony raises the question about Ryan Day’s leniency with the black stripe compared to Urban Meyer.
- Tom suggests that Ryan Day’s quarterback evaluations may be more of a reason than leniency.
Ohio State football players losing black stripes early. 18:21
- Tom and Tony discuss the significance of the black stripe at Ohio State, with Orr emphasizing individual performance and Gerdeman highlighting the lack of an established quarterback depth chart.
- Tom Orr highlights the impressive list of players who have lost their black stripes early, including Garrett Wilson, Jack Sawyer, and Jeremiah Smith.
- Orr notes that the hit rate at the top of the list is high, indicating a pattern of elite play among these players.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin’s chances of starting in 2023. 24:07
- Tony believes Julian Sayin has moved up in the quarterback competition, but is not ready to say he’ll start in September.
- Tom agrees that Sayin has moved up, but reserves the right to change his mind after watching practice and the spring game.
- Tom and Tony Gerdeman discuss the potential for true freshman quarterbacks to start at Ohio State, with Orr highlighting the team’s talent and willingness to take risks, and Gerdeman speculating on what could have happened if Julian Fleming had enrolled last year.
- Tom Orr believes that if Julian Assange were to go back in time and enroll at Ohio State in 2022, he would have been given a shot at the starting quarterback position over Kyle McCord.
Dallan Hayden’s transfer. 31:25
- Tony and Tom discuss the transfer of Dallan Hayden.
- The position coaches at Ohio State dictate when players play, and Hayden’s lack of playing time against top opponents like Michigan and Georgia was confusing at times.
- The hosts question whether Dallan Hayden’s time at Ohio State was mismanaged by Tony Alford, citing a lack of playing time and reps despite multiple years with the coach.
- Carlos Locklyn’s arrival as new running backs coach may have contributed to Hayden’s decision to transfer, as Locklyn may not view Hayden as a clear candidate for carries this year.