He might have needed to leave no doubt.
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Barrett was suspended for one game and replaced by Cardale Jones for the second-ranked Buckeyes’ victory over Minnesota.
Safety Vonn Bell, who scored a touchdown on an interception, and defensive end Joey Bosa were the defensive players of the game.
It’s the same story in the individual statistics, where OSU leader Michael Thomas’ 39 catches are far behind the 62 catches of Big Ten leader Aaron Burbridge, of MI State, but Thomas’ seven touchdowns leads the conference. However, the chaos that rained down on the 2007 season allowed for the Buckeyes to back their way into the BCS Championship Game against LSU.
Barrett’s attorney Phillip Templeton said Barrett was at home drinking, but he did not intend to drive. However, Barrett has had full command of the offense in recent weeks.
Barrett’s speed and knack for making the right read on option plays gave him the edge as he reclaimed the starting job last month, and his production still makes him the logical choice on Saturday at IL. “He now recognizes, of course, that was a poor decision”, Templeton said.
Senior offensive tackle Taylor Decker also pointed to Barrett’s running ability as what makes him stand out from the crowd. With Ohio State up 21-0, it seemed the Buckeyes would be alright without the help of J.T. Barrett.
With Jones, teams have to respect the deep pass to a greater extent. This was Minnesota’s first game in Columbus since a 38-7 loss in 2009. But he might have offered a clue. “I’m just truly sorry”, Barrett said.
Meyer didn’t discount Jones’ performance though, praising the Cleveland native for his efforts while emphasizing that through all the criticism, he still is 11-0 as a starter in scarlet and gray.
At times this season, the Buckeyes appeared to be trying to phase out the quarterback rush from their playbook, and that may have caused a few of their early issues when they weren’t living up to their high-scoring standards.
We know how that worked out, and we know how it’s worked out this season for Hoyer in Houston.
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“When you play the No. 1 team in the country, and you are on the road, the margin for error is so small”, interim head coach Tracy Claeys told reporters after Saturday’s game.
