Ohio State welcomed another “official” member to its team on Wednesday when true freshman quarterback Air Noland lost his stripe after practice.
Noland came into Ohio State as a highly touted five-star prospect out of Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes, where he was rated the nation’s 56th-best prospect and fourth-best quarterback in the class after he threw for 2,140 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior.
His junior season with Langston Hughes was his best, where he threw for 55 touchdowns — the second-most in Georgia history ahead of NFL starters Trevor Lawrence (51) and Deshaun Watson (50) — while leading his school to a 15-0 record and their first state title in program history.
Noland’s high school career was impressive, but he has had to wait for his turn since joining the Buckeyes in the spring. The freshman has served as Ohio State’s fifth-string quarterback this offseason and regular season behind starter Will Howard, redshirt sophomore Devin Brown, fellow true freshman quarterback Julian Sayin and redshirt freshman Lincoln Kienholz.
Noland earned limited reps in spring and fall practices and has been the only scholarship quarterback to not get into a game so far this season. But the freshman has acknowledged that he won’t be seeing much of the field this season, proclaiming this season more of a “developmental year.”
“It can be challenging, but you have to keep the main thing the main thing and stay focused with the plan, with the process, with everything that’s going on,” Noland said during fall camp. “It’s a process out here. Development is a big thing with us, so I have to learn and take my time and the process, everything will equal out.”
Noland is the 23rd Buckeye to lose his black stripe in 2024 and the 11th freshman, joining wide receivers Jeremiah Smith (March 21) and Mylan Graham (Aug. 21), Sayin (April 8), safeties Jaylen McClain (Aug. 7) and Leroy Roker (Aug. 21), defensive end Eddrick Houston (Aug. 9), running back James Peoples (Aug. 9), linebacker Payton Pierce (Aug. 13), offensive lineman Ian Moore and cornerback Aaron Scott Jr.
He is also the second player to earn the distinction this week, joining senior kicker Austin Snyder, who lost his black stripe after practice on Tuesday after replacing starter Jayden Fielding against Marshall.
