Ohio State will be without two of its starting safeties against Toledo as Josh Proctor and Tanner McCalister will be unavailable for the matchup.
Neither Proctor nor McCalister were listed on the pregame availability report. However, the veteran safeties participated in early warmups before returning to the field in street clothes. The cause of their absence is unknown though it is not expected to be because of severe injury. Ohio State's medical staff and coaches felt most comfortable with keeping them from participating in Saturday's game.
Neither Josh Proctor nor Tanner McCalister is in uniform for tonights game. Buckeyes will be without two starting safeties tonight.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) September 17, 2022
Proctor has recorded three tackles in the first two games, while McCalister has recorded two takedowns. Still, both safeties have played significant roles in helping the Ohio State defense reach a new level of efficiency under first-year coordinator Jim Knowles. The Buckeyes are currently ranked as the No. 21 scoring defense at 11 points allowed per game and the No. 23 total defense at 264.5 yards allowed per contest heading into Week 3.
Ohio State was already short-handed defensively before Proctor and McCalister were scratched from the lineup. Ten Buckeyes were listed as unavailable before the game: Omari Abor, Kamryn Babb, Jantzen Dunn, Jordan Hancock, Jaylen Johnson, Mitchell Melton, Teradja Mitchell, Zach Prater, Evan Pryor and Joe Royer. Additionally, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Julian Fleming were listed as game-time decisions.
With Proctor, McCalister, Dunn and Johnson now out, the Buckeyes will have six scholarship safeties suited up for action, including Kourt Williams, Lathan Ransom, Ronnie Hickman, Sonny Styles, Cam Martinez and Kye Stokes.
