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Ohio State: Did Urban Meyer get it right starting Cardale Jones over JT Barrett?

By Jeremiah Sharpe

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Urban Meyer had to choose between two great quarterbacks did he choose wisely?

In what has been described as the best quarterback controversy in the history of football. Urban Meyer, head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, had to choose between a record-setting quarterback in JT Barrett and the guy who won a national championship in Cardale Jones.

To many, including myself, there was no wrong choice but like every trick question there is a more correct answer. So the question has to be asked did Meyer pick the right guy to lead his team to a repeat as national champs after tabbing Jones as the starter?

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On the very first drive offensive series for OSU, Jones led the team down the field on an eight-play 64-yard drive that was capped with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel. The touchdown pass was classic Jones who threw the ball off his back foot to seemingly nowhere and a receiver showed up and made an amazing catch.

When I describe to people what kind of quarterback Jones is I always say he is the best playground QB to ever play football. He makes plays that should never even be attempted. The best word to describe Jones is wonky. He runs like a newborn deer trying to take its first step. He passes like a guy trying to prove that mechanics are for fixing cars not passing balls. He is an anomaly in every sense of the word. He is not polished in any aspect of being a quarterback on the field or off the field. He is a bigger than life character just playing the game he loves.

His numbers in his first regular season start were pretty pedestrian. He went nine-of-18 passing for 186 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He found success rushing with 99 yards on 13 carries and one touchdown. Pretty pedestrian, no? Even in his amazing three games to end the season and win a title last year his stats were pedestrian.

Jones probably won’t put up the stats that Barrett could or would, but the team though doesn’t need a guy to put up big stats. It has enough playmakers that it just needs a quarterback who can command the offense and put players in a position to succeed. Jones did just that last night in the big road win.

What about Barrett though?

He came in and played most of the fourth quarter in mop up duty with OSU up 35-17. Barrett made an instant impact running the ball 40 yards on one play and then connecting on a 24-yard touchdown to Michael Thomas soon after. What was clear was that Barrett still has it. He is fully recovered from his injury and could and maybe should be the starter.

Jones brings size and ingenuity. Barrett brings command of the offense and leadership. Barrett is the better passer and runner. Jones is the harder tackle and bigger arm. What Meyer needed was to combine these two guys into one Robo-QB. He had to make a choice though. Was it the right one? For at least one game it certainly was. The same question will be asked every game this year though and if Jones slips at all Barrett is there and ready to take back the team he once led.

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