Ohio State added two “official” members to its team on Tuesday when redshirt freshman defensive end Dominic Kirks and offensive lineman Simon Lorentz shed their black stripes at spring practice.
They are the third and fourth players to lose their stripe this spring, joining cornerback Miles Lockhart and tight end Max Klare.
This is Kirks’ first time going through a full spring camp since he was a late addition to the 2024 class, being the only player to sign in February, after joining the program as a four-star ranked No. 163 in the country and No. 24 at his position. He played in three games in his first year with the team and recorded one tackle.
Kirks faces an uphill battle trying to crack the two-deep depth chart on the defensive line this season with Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Caden Curry, C.J. Hicks and Logan George all vying for playing time, among others, but he is obviously showing in spring practice that he could compete for some sort of a role.
Lorentz joined the team as a walk-on in the fall of 2024 as a former All-Ohio high school player in Dover, Ohio. He hasn’t been able to find any playing time with the Buckeyes yet.
