Ending months of speculation, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer sent last season’s postseason hero Cardale Jones to the field for Ohio State’s first offensive series of the game at Virginia Tech.
Meyer had said for weeks he would not reveal who his starting quarterback would be until the first offensive play of the game. After Virginia Tech was forced to punt the football to the Buckeyes on the game’s opening possession in Blacksburg, it was Jones that took to the field. So how did that first series go? Quite well.
Jones completed a pass to Michael Thomas to extend the first offensive drive of the game for the defending national champs. He showed off great arm strength on the pass. Perhaps it was a bit too much strength one play later for freshman wide receiver Paris Campbell, who had the ball bounce off his hands on what could have been a long touchdown play over the middle. The drive continued anyway, thanks in part to a nice fourth-down catch and run from Jones to Ezekiel Elliott on fourth down. One play later Jones took to the air to find wide receiver Curtis Samuel in the end zone. The pass was completed despite having a Hokies defender interfering with Samuel in coverage in the end zone.
J.T. Barrett is widely expected to play at some point tonight for the Buckeyes. And don’t forget that Braxton Miller is out there as receiver at his new position.
Ohio State leads Virginia Tech 7-0 after each team’s first offensive possession.