Buckeye nation had a bittersweet moment last week as the Buckeyes defeated the team up north, but Big Ten freshman of the year J.T. Barrett was lost for the season due to a fractured ankle. The Buckeyes closed out the game with unproven Cardale Jones playing quarterback, and from there the speculation of what would be next occurred. With Ohio State fighting for the final spot in the inaugural College Football Playoffs the injury to Barrett came at an improbable time.
With J.T. Barrett out due to injury, Cardale Jones will have his opportunity to run the team. Much like the injury to Braxton Miller– Jones will have to pull his inner J.T. Barrett to help fill the void of a Heisman Trophy Candidate. Prior to Braxton Miller’s season-ending injury, Jones was the No.2 quarterback over J.T. Barrett at the time. Jones has a different skill set when comparing him to the aforementioned quarterbacks. Jones stands 6’4 and he weighs around 250lbs. He is a dual-threat quarterback and he can be a dynamic runner in his own right (see the video below).
It’s a given that teams will stack the box when playing against the new-look Buckeyes, and it’ll be up to Jones to show that he is a capable passer. In Urban Meyer’s and Todd Herman’s offensive system, a lot is predicated on quarterback play. Though, Jones hasn’t taken many meaningful snaps it is expected that the coaches will put him in position to succeed.
With the Big Ten Championship on the line and a possible playoff berth at stake many people are in panic mode when thinking about the outlook for the Buckeyes. In the words of urban philosopher French Montana– the motto for the Buckeyes should be, “DON’T PANIC”. That reason being is that this year’s offense is surrounded by two or more playmakers at each position on that side of ball. The defense may not be what we have been accustomed in the history of Ohio State football, but they make big plays when the game matters the most. I believe that Jones can lead the team under these circumstances. Jones has been in Meyer’s system for the past three years so he should have a strong grasp of the offense.
This Saturday will be a huge test for Jones, and I feel that he can pass with flying colors. History shows that all of Urban Meyer’s quarterbacks are always big-time playmakers. Quarterbacks such as Josh Harris, Alex Smith, Chris Leak, Tim Tebow, Braxton Miller, and J.T. Barrett have been successful at the QB position under Meyer, and I don’t expect things to change just because it’s a new person. Cardale Jones may not ever be Heisman trophy worthy, but he will be put in position to play his best. Dear Buckeye fans, everything will be okay. You may not see No.5 or No.16 back at quarterback, but there is a new guy waiting for his moment, and his name is Cardale Jones.
Go Bucks, Beat Wisconsin.
