Former Ohio State Crimson Tide defender Qua Russaw is the latest to lose his black stripe for the Buckeyes.
Former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Qua Russaw is the latest new Buckeye to lose his black strip for the Buckeyes during Spring Ball.
Russaw came to Columbus in a transfer with one of his closest friends and former Crimson Tide defender James Smith. Together, the two transferred to Ohio State this offseason and headlined the additions that the Buckeyes made on the defensive side of the ball.
Russaw is the latest in the list of new Buckeyes to lose his black stripe and officially become a part of the Ohio State Buckeyes program.
In his two-year career at Alabama, Russaw was overall average for the Tide. Year one was definitely his best year as he appeared in 13 games, finishing with 36 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks on the year.
In year two, he battled injuries and lost a lot of playing time as a result. He only saw action in nine games, registering 14 tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, and 1.0 sacks. A disappointing year and good reason for a fresh start.
Russaw is your typical edge rusher. He stands at 6'2, weighing in at 243 pounds, so he is not the prototypical build, but he is a tough guy to move. He has average speed and quickness coming off the edge and will likely factor into the Buckeyes defense as a rotational player.
Russaw is a great example of Ohio State's adapted approach in this 2026 offseason to get marketably older across the board. In the past, they had focused a lot of their work on getting new, young guys into the program as freshmen.
Their approach this year was to let a lot of those guys walk and bulk up on the veterans. The Indiana blueprint.
Russaw certainly does not appear to be a guy who should make a major difference on the Buckeyes defense immediately this year, but that's not to say that he can't do it. In a fresh start with a new coach, Matt Patricia, maybe there is something below the surface that is waiting to be unlocked.
Friday marked the day that Russaw officially lost his black stripe and became a part of the Buckeyes' program. He is the fourth guy this spring ball to have his black stripe removed and officially become a part of the program.
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