The Ohio State Buckeyes will start JT Barrett at quarterback over Cardale Jones on Saturday against Rutgers, head coach Urban Meyer announced this week. The team is making the change in the middle of the Big Ten conference schedule and it comes as Barrett has split time with Jones at the position.
Meyer announced the news on Tuesday and said to the media that Barrett has "earned the right to start" against Rutgers. Jones has started the first six games of the season and now Meyer is looking to spark his team as they get into the second half of the season schedule. Barrett has been solid in limited time behind Jones this season, completing 61 percent of his passes for 249 yards and four touchdowns.
Barrett is also dangerous on his feet, as the quarterback has rushed for 228 yards and five touchdowns this season. Jones comes in with 1242 yards and seven touchdowns, but he has five interceptions and the offense has not been moving as consistently as Meyer would like. Last week Jones had only 84 yards passing in the win against Penn State and over his last five games he has four interceptions and five touchdowns.
Jones broke out last season at the end and helped Ohio State win the national title and that put him in position to start this season. The Buckeyes had a number of talented players at the position coming into the season with Jones, Barrett and Braxton Miller, but Meyer opted to go with Jones and Miller has been used as a wide receiver with his explosive skill set.
Barrett had 2834 yards and 34 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 2014 and he has experience for the Buckeyes and now gets the chance to start again. Last week Barrett had two touchdown passes and threw for 30 yards on just four attempts and he also added 102 yards rushing and another two scores. Meyer likes a running quarterback and Barrett gives the team a better option in that aspect of the offense.
Meyer said that the move was a ""difficult decision" and it comes after Jones was benched in the game last week against Penn State. Barrett has been excellent in the red zone this season and according to ESPN.com, over the past two weeks he has led the team to 12 scores in 12 possessions in the red zone, with 11 of those scores being touchdowns. Barrett was the starter last season and was replaced after breaking his ankle in the rivalry game against Michigan.
