COLUMBUS – With the 2017-18 college football season less than two weeks away,and their first game of the season on the road against the always-feisty Indiana Hoosiers, is this finally the year that Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett has his Heisman moment?
Name: J.T. Barrett
Height: 6’2
Weight: 220 pounds
Birthplace: Wichita Falls, Texas
Resume: B1G Offensive Player Of The Year, CFP champion, Sugar Bowl champion, 26-4 record as starter
Eligibility: fifth-year senior
Key Games: Oklahoma, Penn State, @Michigan
NFL Draft Projection: 4-6
Barrett, a fifth-year senior who first burst onto the scene in 2014 after replacing Braxton Miller, set Big Ten offensive records in total touchdowns (45).
In his three years as a starter, after redshirting as a freshman, the 6’2 220-pound Wichita Falls, Texas product has set Buckeye school records for most career touchdowns (100), career passing touchdowns (69), total offense (3,772), single –season passing touchdowns (34) and single-game touchdowns with seven.
With a sterling 26-4 record as a starter, Barrett is perhaps the nation’s best dual threat quarterback in amassing a combined 8,846 total yards (6,381 passing and 2,465 rushing) in total offense.
No more Miller, Cardale Jones and a favorable schedule of prime-time matchups at home and under the lights vs. fellow Heisman Trophy hopefuls such as Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield, Penn State’s quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley, a stacked schedule that will include four ranked teams including the aforementioned Sooners, Lions, archrival Wolverines and a likely B1G conference clash vs. Wisconsin should give Barrett all of the opportunities to make his case for becoming Ohio State’s eighth winner and the first since Troy Smith in 2006.
After a sober and humiliating 31-0 shutout loss vs Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinals vs the eventual nation champion Clemson Tigers, Barrett has been spending all of his off-season in working with new offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson in footwork, going downfield more and accuracy.
Thanks to being surrounded by a bevy of talent brought in by head coach and uber-recruiter extraordinaire in Urban Meyer, and some veteran starters returning to what should be a championship contender, look for Barrett to not only make the trip to New York, but have a strong chance of bringing home the first of a impressive hardware haul for both the Buckeyes and himself.