When it comes to Ohio State’s much-discussed and dissected three-headed quarterback competition, some in the media and most non-OSU fans view Braxton Miller almost as an afterthought.
Most of the attention as to who will guide the defending College Football Playoff champions has been centered on J.T. Barrett, who got the Buckeyes to the cusp of a Big Ten title and playoff berth, and Cardale Jones, who won all three of his postseason starts to help give his team the national championship, with the former being the betting favorite of one Vegas wagering insider. That very same player’s dad, though, has a different view of who the starter should be, at least entering summer camp.
“Of course I would love to see my kid start, but for me it always goes back to who was first,” Joe Barrett, J.T’s father, told Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch. “If Braxton hadn’t gotten hurt, I would still be waiting for my baby to get the chance to play. I was thankful J.T. got that chance … and we were all blessed that he was ready to compete, but like I have told everybody, I don’t want to see my kid take a position because of the misfortune of someone else.
“In other words, Braxton should get that position back, then everybody else should go try to take it from him.”
Or put another way, Joe Barrett doesn’t believe anyone should be Wally Pipp’d, even if it would be advantageous for his son. The thing is, all three have the type of résumés that screams “starter!”
Miller was named the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons before reinjuring his throwing shoulder during summer camp last August and sidelining him for all of the 2014 season. Barrett, who took over the Buckeyes’ offense in Miller’s absence, accumulated a Big Ten-record 45 total touchdowns -- 34 passing, 11 rushing -- before a leg injury in the regular-season finale against Michigan prematurely ended his redshirt freshman season. That opened the door for Jones, the redshirt sophomore with the NFL-ready rocket launcher for an arm who stunned the college football world by leading the Buckeyes to wins over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game; Alabama in the CFP semifinal; and Oregon in the CFP championship game.
Jones, though, was the only one healthy enough to fully participate in spring practice, the first sessions since offensive coordinator Tom Herman took the head-coaching job at Houston. Both Barrett and Miller are expected to be 100-percent healthy for the start of fall camp.
Head coach Urban Meyer has declined to list a pecking order at the position heading into that camp, although the hope is that a starter will be named at some point in mid-August and allows the winner three weeks or so to fully prepare for the Labor Day night rematch with Virginia Tech. Whether Barrett gets the opportunity to avenge OSU’s lone 2014 loss -- and redeem himself for the 9-of-29 passing and three interceptions in the loss -- remains to be seen, although it seems, at least right now, that player’s father feels he should have to earn the job back. And that’s exactly how it should be as whoever goes under center for the Buckeyes in the opener against the Hokies should have to earn that right, not be handed the job because of past performances.
Here’s to guessing that’s exactly how Meyer and his coaching staff will allow the situation to play out.