Analyzing the Ohio State NCAA Football Odds QB Situation

Posted by Alex Murphy on Sunday,July 19, 2015 6:34, EDT in

If you take a look at the quarterbacks in the Big Ten right now, it actually looks like Ohio State has three of the conference’s top ten – if not the top five. Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones could all start for any Division I program in the country and make their college football betting fans very happy. Having this many great quarterbacks at one school is almost impossible to imagine, especially considering how frequently quarterbacks will transfer if it looks like they aren’t going to get the playing time they want. Consider how Tre Roberson left Indiana and Aaron Bailey left Illinois for FCS schools when it looked like they would have to be sharing playing time with someone else.

Analyzing the Ohio State NCAA Football Odds QB Situation

At Ohio State, rumors keep swirling about Braxton Miller transferring, but so far he remains one of the three-headed monster. Cardale Jones was thought to be considering going pro after his immense three-game run that led to a national title, but he was probably wise to stay in college, thinking that he didn’t have enough experience to merit an NFL bid after just three starts. It’s true that those starts were in the Big Ten title game, the national semifinal in the Sugar Bowl and the national title game against Oregon, but he still wants some more seasoning.

One possible reason why Miller is still at Ohio State is that his shoulder is still not cleared for full play. J.T. Barrett has already used one red shirt year which means he would have to use a season of eligibility if he wanted to transfer. Miller and Jones grew up in Ohio and love the idea of playing for their home state’s team. The fact that Ohio State just won a national title and might be even better this year has to be another draw.

So Out of the Three, Who Should Meyer Play

These three quarterbacks all have different areas of strength. Cardale Jones has a cannon of an arm, but the fact that he weighs 250 pounds makes him a difficult tackle when he starts to steam down the field carrying the ball. Miller is quicker and also has a strong arm. Barrett is considered the least athletic, but he is also the one who has the majority of the records for Ohio State quarterbacks.

So who should start the season for Urban Meyer? He has a difficult choice to make because any of the three could likely take the Buckeyes to the national championship, as long as Meyer doesn’t make a decision that harms team chemistry. The best idea is to run a platoon of Jones and Miller, once Miller is cleared to play. Jones is likely going pro after the 2015 season, so he needs some exposure, and Miller is a senior. Even though Barrett won Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, he’ll still have two more seasons of eligibility after this one. So Meyer should start Jones and use Miller as a way to change the pace. This will help Miller ease his way back onto the field after hurting his shoulder.

Remember how Cardale Jones was stretching the field for Ohio State during their postseason games? What if Jones and Miller appeared in the backfield at the same time. When Miller came in, teams would have to sell out against the run, even though Miller will have a great arm once his shoulder fully heals. As long as the team keeps scoring points and winning, team chemistry should take care of itself.