Freshman QB Barrett making OSU history

The Columbus Dispatch

COLUMBUS

Urban Meyer wrote J.T. Barrett’s parents a note on Tuesday and enclosed a couple of DVDs of their son’s performance.

Already, the Ohio State coach is gathering mementoes of this remarkable season for the redshirt freshman quarterback.

“I think those ought to go in a shoebox somewhere,” Meyer said.

When senior quarterback Braxton Miller reinjured his shoulder two weeks before the season, the Buckeyes had faith that Barrett would be up to the job. But there’s no way they could have expected what he has done because it is unprecedented among Ohio State quarterbacks with similar experience.

Since Art Schlichter started as a true freshman in 1978, which marked the time when Ohio State began transitioning to a modern passing game, Barrett is the 10th Buckeye to start as a freshman or sophomore. Many became stars. Schlichter was the fourth pick of the NFL draft before his life disintegrated because of a gambling addiction.

Mike Tomczak had a long NFL career. Troy Smith won the Heisman Trophy two years after he shared starting time as a sophomore with Justin Zwick. Terrelle Pryor was almost uniquely talented as a college player. Miller was the Big Ten player of the year the past two seasons.

None came close in his first season as a Buckeyes starter to compiling Barrett’s numbers.

Barrett has the highest completion percentage among the 10 first-year underclassmen at .650. With 21 touchdown passes, he has eight more than any of the others. His 1,689 passing yards also top the list, as does his yards-per-carry average of 4.7.

Most important, with the possible exception of Bobby Hoying’s 1993 team, the Buckeyes (6-1) are on pace to have a better record this year than under the other nine young first-year starters. The ‘93 team was 10-1-1.

Of course, each first-year starter had his unique set of circumstances. Miller, for example, had to play as a true freshman in a difficult transitional season with a weak supporting cast around him.

Still, there’s no denying Barrett’s numbers. Yet, what might be most impressive is that statistics are only a partial lens through which to judge his success.

Against Penn State, Barrett passed for only 74 yards and the offense slumbered throughout the second half. In overtime, however, Barrett put the Buckeyes on his back and ran for 32 of their 37 yards and scored twice. He did so despite suffering a sprained medial collateral knee ligament at the end of the first half.

After the game, Meyer singled out Barrett in the locker room.

“To see what he did in that game, in overtime in that environment, I stood up in front of the team and I said, ‘To say that I really knew you a year and a half ago, I did not. Now I do, and on behalf of our coaching staff, the admiration is there — and congratulations.’ The whole team clapped for him. That was a tough, tough performance.”

Right guard Pat Elflein said that he didn’t even know that Barrett had been injured.

“It says a lot about him and what type of guy he is,” he said.

Elflein said that he even saw glimpses of Barrett’s leadership ability last year. But it has been truly revealed this year.

“For being a redshirt freshman and taking over the role at this university, [leading] Buckeye Nation, he’s done an incredible job,” Elflein said. “Before every game, he gives a pregame speech. [They’re] incredible. You don’t hear anything like that from anybody else.

“You can tell it’s coming from deep within and he really means it. It gives everybody a sense that this guy has our back and he’s going to lead us. He’s one of the best leaders I’ve been around.”

The real tests are ahead. After this week’s game against Illinois, the Buckeyes play at Michigan State, the make-or-break game on their schedule. But Ohio State enters the home stretch with a quarterback who has distinguished himself as the best of the Buckeyes’ first-year quarterbacks.