Through three games, Terry Moore has been one of the more unexpected footnotes in Ohio State’s season - not because he’s been ineffective, but because he’s hardly been on the field.
That’s a strange place to be for a transfer who arrived in January with a resume that screamed immediate impact. Moore came to Columbus from Duke after a 2024 season in which he started all 13 games and piled up 71 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four interceptions, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
Pro Football Focus graded him at 90.1 overall, which was the second-best mark among Power Four safeties, and his 89.2 coverage grade ranked 10th nationally. Then came the setback: he missed the entire 2025 season with a torn ACL.
The fit at Ohio State looked obvious, too. Matt Guerrieri, now the Buckeyes’ safeties coach and defensive passing game coordinator, had originally recruited Moore to Duke. That connection made it easy to expect Moore would have a major role once he got to Columbus.
Instead, Ohio State has moved in a different direction. Jaylen McClain and Earl Little Jr. have settled in as the top two safeties, while true freshman Simeon Caldwell and Leroy Roker III have also carved out rotational work.
The snap counts make that clear. Moore played 19 snaps against Ball State, sat out the Texas game entirely, and logged 14 against Kent State.
That gives him just 33 defensive snaps through three games. Against Texas, McClain played 80 snaps and Little played 71, while Caldwell was the only other safety to get on the field, taking five snaps.
Against Kent State, Moore re-entered the mix, but he still trailed McClain and Little, who played 34 and 31 snaps, respectively. Caldwell added 12 snaps, and Roker along with freshman Blaine Bradford also saw action.
It’s a notable development given what Moore brought with him. And it doesn’t necessarily mean Ohio State has lost faith in him.
The Buckeyes could still be easing him back after the ACL injury that wiped out last season, and Roker and Caldwell may simply have earned defined roles in Matt Patricia’s packages. There’s also plenty of season left.
Still, the current depth chart says a lot. McClain and Little are the clear leaders.
Caldwell has already earned real defensive work as a true freshman. Roker is in the rotation.
Moore, for now, is the one chasing snaps.
That stands out even more when you look back at what Moore did the last time he played meaningful football. In 2024, opposing quarterbacks posted a 46.1 passer rating when throwing his way, and he allowed just one touchdown across 407 coverage snaps.
Moore could still force his way back into the picture. An injury could change the math.
Ohio State could also find a package that better taps into his experience and versatility. But three games into the 2026 season, the bigger question isn’t whether Terry Moore can play.
It’s why the Buckeyes haven’t had much need to play him yet.
In Other News...
Ohio State Freshman Jay Timmons Is Earning Trust Faster Than Expected
Jay Timmons has moved quickly from newcomer to a player Ohio State is comfortable leaning on in the defensive backfield. The true freshman nickelback has already started for the defense, which is not something this program has asked of many freshmen in recent memory, and he has given the staff reasons to keep trusting him. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has praised his work, and veteran teammates have noticed the same thing after seeing how he has handled the job.
The early returns have been strong enough that Timmons is already being talked about as a prospect with a very high ceiling down the road. His play against Texas stood out as another sign that the moment has not been too big for him, even in an environment where young defensive backs are usually brought along more slowly. For Ohio State, the bigger question now is how far his rapid rise can continue as the schedule gets tougher and the expectations keep growing. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Commit Jamier Brown Is Quickly Regaining Lost Time
Jamier Brown is making up for a late start in a hurry. The Ohio State commit missed Waynes first two games because of a suspension, but he has wasted little time showing why he remains such a key piece for the Warriors, catching six passes for 63 yards and finding the end zone in a 49-24 win over Clayton Northmont in Greater Western Ohio Conference play.
Kye Graham kept the offense humming with 284 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Wayne backed it up with timely defensive stops and scoring drives to put the game away. For Ohio State, Browns recent stretch is the encouraging part, because the Buckeyes are getting a look at a receiver who is already helping his high school team settle in and build momentum after an unusual start to the season. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Will Love The Standard Indiana Just Exposed
Curt Cignetti is already talking like a coach who knows success changes the conversation. After Indianas recent surge, the Hoosiers head coach used a message to the fan base to push back on rising expectations, pointing to the programs history of thin crowds and asking supporters not to grumble about lopsided wins. It was a blunt reminder that, around college football, a winning stretch can quickly turn into a referendum on how much winning is enough.
For Ohio State fans, the contrast lands cleanly. Ryan Day has made his own standard public and unmistakable, setting a much higher bar for the Buckeyes than simply stacking victories and keeping people content. So while Cignetti was managing the temperature in Bloomington, his comments served as a useful backdrop for what Ohio State expects of itself, and why the conversation in Columbus usually starts where other programs hope to finish. [Read more 🡒]