COLUMBUS — It is the scarlet letter of the Ohio State football team.
Before the Buckeyes opened preseason camp earlier this month, equipment managers placed an inch-wide strip of black tape on the freshmen’s helmets. It was part of a ritual coach Urban Meyer started in 2001 at Bowling Green as a fun but harmless way to initiate the new pledges.
“It all started because of the hazing,” Meyer said. “It used to be a problem. They shave your head, shave eyebrows, make you drink.”
OSU freshmen must instead prove themselves on the field. They do not earn their stripes until a veteran teammate — a designated big brother — removes the one on their helmet in a spontaneous ceremony.
Continue Reading: OSU freshmen eager to lose stripes
