Despite a promising freshman season, senior safety Aaron Gant has started only one football game for Ohio State. Injuries have been the culprit.

“With football it comes with the territory, injuries will happen. It’s just how you persevere through them,” Gant said. “Right now I’m persevering through it.”

After arriving at OSU in 2006, Gant ended his freshman season as the second-string free safety, one of only two true freshmen on the first or second team, and started against Michigan State. It has been downhill from there.

After being hampered by a foot injury that limited him to special-teams play his sophomore year, Gant returned to the second-string safety position but saw little playing time as a junior.

After a 2009 medical redshirt, Gant is still struggling to find his role as a senior.

OSU coach Jim Tressel is also searching for Gant’s role.

“We expected him to play and we expected him not only to play on defense but to come back into our special teams,” Tressel said.

Rated a three-star recruit coming out of high school in Detroit, Mich., by Rivals.com, Gant was recruited around the Big Ten. He received offers from Michigan, Michigan State and Northwestern in addition to OSU.

However, both of his home state schools were recruiting him on the offensive side of the ball.

In “high school I played fullback, I played linebacker, I played secondary … (and I played) running back,” the 6-foot, 206-pound Gant said. “I played a little bit of it all.”

His preference for the defensive side of the ball influenced his decision to be a Buckeye, he said.

Though still a role player, his teammates appreciate his defensive talents.

“Whether we have on pads or no pads … Aaron comes to hit every day,” senior cornerback Chimdi Chekwa said. “He’s fearless and very aggressive.”

Chekwa referred to Gant as the “hardest hitter” on the team.

Injuries to others in the defensive backfield might allow Gant to do more of that hitting in games.

“Aaron Gant’s going to have to be able to do some things and … going to have to be able to step in (due to injuries),” Tressel said.

Gant is looking forward to the opportunity.

“Hopefully with the injuries that we have had, I could come in there and play my part and help out as much as I can this year,” he said.

Despite not meeting his individual goals and enduring multiple injuries at OSU, Gant is not upset about his time with the Buckeyes.

“I never have regrets in my life,” he said.