Cardale Jones, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Before the 2015 season started, I thought J.T. Barrett should be the starter.  I was sure it was going to be Barrett.  It seemed like a no-brainer to me.  Barrett is the more experienced leader, he's more accurate, and he runs the read option (a bread-and-butter play for the 2014 Buckeyes) to perfection.  He beat out Jones last year; why wouldn't he do it again?  And then Meyer named Cardale Jones the starting quarterback for the season opener against Virginia Tech.

I was surprised, but not upset.  To me, there was no wrong choice.  They both have their pros and cons and while I thought Barrett had more stuff in the "pros" column, I didn't think he was overwhelmingly better.  And then the offense struggled, and through the first 3 weeks they looked worse and worse each game.  People started to question the decision, myself included.  Sure, Barrett didn't look much better, but he was never really given a fair shot to get in a rhythm in any game.  After the Northern Illinois scare, when Meyer said he was going to reevaluate the QB position, I was again sure it would be Barrett taking the reins.  And I was again surprised when Meyer named Jones the starter.

At that point I at least accepted that Jones would be the starter.  And I was hopeful that we would just stick with him, as I thought the switching was not helping either one's confidence.  I also knew that the offensive issues went way beyond the quarterback position, and I was optimistic that those would get fixed regardless of who was playing quarterback.  And on Saturday, against Western Michigan, the offense did look better.  Still not great, but better.  Jones looked better too, though he still made some mistakes and under-threw countless open receivers (my biggest complaint about him as a passer).  But throughout the game, and shortly after, it started to dawn on me: why Meyer is going with Jones over Barrett.  He's playing the long game.


Urban Meyer wants YOU... to trust him.

Meyer wasn't and isn't building this team for a September/October run through mid-majors and subpar Big Ten teams.  He's planning for November, December, and January.

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J.T. Barrett might be the better overall quarterback.  Right now.  But Jones has a higher ceiling in terms of his raw ability.  The areas where Barrett has an advantage are things that Jones can get better at with experience.  He can improve his accuracy.  He can learn to be a leader.  He can fix the under-thrown deep balls.  Barrett can't grow 4 inches and transform his arm into a rocket-launcher.

Meyer wasn't and isn't building this team for a September/October run through mid-majors and subpar Big Ten teams.  He's planning for November, December, and January.  He's thinking about Michigan State and Michigan and the postseason.  He won't admit it, but he knows that no one else on the schedule will threaten us.  Northern Illinois was a scare, and I think he panicked a bit during that game.  But think about what we can take away from that experience:  NIU is no pushover and could probably beat at least half the teams in the Big Ten.  We turned the ball over 5 times, only scored one offensive touchdown, and still won.  Our defense is good enough now to let our offense grow and mature with Jones at QB.

A lot of people talked about Ohio State needing to find an identity on offense.  I think Meyer knows what he wants to do and it was evident against Western Michigan.  With the speed we have at receiver, we will be able to torch defenses play after play.  If Jones connected on just half of the under-thrown passes on Saturday, the Buckeyes score closer to 60 than 40.  Think about what happens when he starts hitting those deep targets consistently.  Think about what Zeke will be able to do once defenses really see Jones stretch the field and the offensive line and receivers start blocking better.  We don't need all that to happen right now.  But when it all comes together, it will be scary to watch.

Once the OSU offense gets going, it will be like unleashing the Doomsday Machine

People want the Buckeyes to be perfect now.  They forget that Ohio State was hardly perfect last year, even at the end of the season.  They criticize the play-calling because they only remember what we did and how we looked in the last three games of last year (which still wasn't perfect).  Elliot will get his inside runs, when we need him to.  Braxton Miller will start giving defenses nightmares running and throwing out of the wildcat, when we need him to.  Jones will make the big plays, when we need him to.  We will start scoring 60 points, when we need to (although, hopefully we'll never actually need to).

Of course, this is just my opinion.  Maybe I'm wrong about Urban Meyer's long-term vision for this team.  But either way, Meyer picked his quarterback, and it's Jones.  If you disagree with the three-time national championship coach, who boasts a 42 - 3 record at Ohio State, that's you're right.  But on behalf of Buckeye Nation, whose mantra (since before last year's playoff run) has been "In Urban We Trust", and for the sake of your own sanity, I suggest you make a choice.  Either you can be a fan of The Ohio State University Buckeyes and back your team, your coach, and your quarterback, or you can go root for someone else.  It's that simple.

There is no longer a "Team J.T." and a "Team Cardale".  There's only "Team OSU" and you're either on it or you're not.

I was at the Western Michigan game, and there was a guy behind me who epitomized what I hate about some "fans" during quarterback controversies.  He was bashing Jones relentlessly after every incompletion and every scramble that didn't pick up a first down.  Now, to be fair, I was expressing my fair share of frustration at some of the particularly bad passes.  But for this guy, every single missed pass was proof that J.T. should have been playing, and he didn't hesitate to vocalize that each and every time.  He wondered out loud "how much they're paying Urban to start Jones" (I don't know who "they" are and what their incentive is, but I'm sure this made sense in his simple little mind).  He even went as far as wishing that Jones break his leg (and I secretly hoped for the same fate for this "fan" as he begrudgingly left the stands, moments after Barrett threw an interception on his first drive of the game).

There is no longer a "Team J.T." and a "Team Cardale".  There's only "Team OSU" and you're either on it or you're not.

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Now, I realize that the knucklehead behind me is an extreme case.  Most fans, even the ones griping about Jones being the starter, are better than that.  But it shows the absurdity of this pessimistic and ultra -critical viewpoint that so many people seem to have regarding this team.  We are 4 - 0.  Our team isn't perfect, quarterback included, but they're getting better.  The people who are slamming Jones are the same people who were screaming "Fire Fickell" at the top of their lungs a short time ago.  Now we boast one of the best defenses in the country, headlined by quite possibly the best group of linebackers in the nation.  Those same people are now all aboard the Silver Bullet Express.  Did they forget that Luke Fickell is the engineer of this QB-devouring pain-train?

There will always be fans who find something to complain about.  We're 4 - 0.  If you want to question every coaching decision and whine and moan and generally feel bad about your team, go root for the Cleveland Browns.  And don't come crawling back when we are sucker-punching Michigan State and roundhouse kicking that team up north and bludgeoning anyone else on our path to playoff trophy number two.

As for me?  I'll be enjoying the ride, waving my cowboy hat in the air, yelling "Waaaahoooo!" as Jones drops another bomb at the doorstep of our enemies.  Well... except for the cowboy hat part.  This isn't the damn Big 12.

College Football Week 4 Recap

Let's first see how my Week 4 Bold Predictions turned out:

1. Texas Tech outguns TCU in Lubbock

This game came down to the wire, as I thought it might, but TCU survived by way of a crazy 4th-and-goal tipped pass with 23 seconds left on the clock.  Perhaps even crazier was Texas Tech's last-ditch effort on the final play of the game, which involved a Hail Mary pass and multiple laterals, but ultimately failed.  The final result was a 55 - 52 win for the Horned Frogs.

2. Virginia Tech falls to East Carolina for second straight year

The quality of the Buckeyes' best win to-date took a hit on Saturday as the Hokies lost to the Pirates once again.  East Carolina toppled Virginia Tech, 35 - 28, giving both teams a 2-2 record to start the year.

3. Ohio State's defense keeps the Broncos out of the end zone

I was pretty close with my score prediction (38 - 6 vs 38 - 12) but Western Michigan reached the end zone twice, making this another failed prediction.  I guess I should have called for Ohio State to keep the Bronco's out of the uprights, as WMU's kicking game had major issues (0 of 2 on field goals, 0 of 1 on extra points).  The Buckeyes' defense and special teams shined overall once again, but the offense definitely made strides as well.  It's still a work in progress, but I think they're starting to find their identity.

4. Bobcats notch surprise win over Gophers

Another prediction I narrowly missed, as Minnesota found just enough offense to overcome the Bobcats' upset bid, 27 - 24.  Ohio had a chance to tie it with a 53-yard field goal, but a controversial delay of game penalty moved them back 5 yards, and OU opted to try a Hail Mary instead, which fell incomplete as time expired.  A big battle in Evanston looms for the Gophers next week, as they prepare to face 16th ranked Northwestern.

5. Arizona State changes their fight song to Florence + The Machine's "Shake It Out"

They didn't change their fight song, but maybe they should have, as they were unable to shake USC in their conference opener.  The Sun Devils took a 42 - 14 drubbing at the hands of the Trojans, and things don't look to get any easier next week as they travel to UCLA.

Week 4 record: 1 - 4
Overall record: 4 - 16

I'm sensing a pattern here and I don't like it...

Other headlines from week 4:

UCLA, Utah emerge as front-runners in Pac 12

Not too many people saw it coming, but the Bruins and Utes look like the best teams out west right now.  These two squads absolutely dominated ranked conference opponents Oregon and Arizona, and with other Pac 12 contenders USC and Arizona State each already having 1 and 2 losses, respectively, UCLA and Utah look like the teams to beat.  There's still a lot of football to be played, so things could certainly change, but the November 21 showdown between these two could be huge, not just in terms of the Pac 12 race, but potential playoff implications as well.

Is Michigan back?

Speaking of Utah, the Wolverines' 7-point loss in Salt Lake City suddenly doesn't look so bad.  And following their 31 - 0 blowout win over BYU, Michigan is back in the rankings for the first time since 2013.  I think it's still too early to declare that Harbaugh has them back to the greatness their fans desperately lust after, but they're definitely getting better.

A tale of two punters

Virginia Tech and Texas both went down on Saturday, but their punters' roles in the defeats couldn't have been more different.  The Hokies lost, despite punter A.J. Hughes' herculean effort following a bad snap.  The ball sailed well over Hughes' head and into the end zone, but he was able to run back to recover the football and get the punt off (and a good one at that) before getting tackled and without having it blocked.  Virginia Tech still gave up a touchdown on the ensuing drive, and would ultimately lose by 7, but you certainly can't blame their punter.  As for Texas' loss, well... you kind of can blame the punter.  In the final minute of the fourth quarter, tied at 27 with Oklahoma State, the Longhorns faced 4th and 11 on their own 24 and wisely opted to punt.  But the ball went right through the hands of the true freshman punter, and while he was able to recover it and kick it, the resulting punt netted minus 6 yards, putting the Cowboys in position for an easy field goal to win the game.  You can bet he will be kicking himself for a long time after that mistake... sorry.

Punter 1:

Punter 2:

Ohio State of Mind: Western Michigan

Relax. Take a deep breath. Play football.

Let's get back to the basics.  Stop worrying about the explosive plays and focus on that next first down.  3 yards here, 4 yards there.  Be patient.  The big plays will come if we are patient.

Calm down. Just play football.

You can't beat them all on your own.  Work as hard as you can to beat the guy in front of you.  If we each do that, we will succeed.  Individually, we don't stand a chance.  As a team, we are unstoppable.

Smile. Have fun.  Just play some damn football.

We don't have to beat every team on the schedule by 50 points.  We just have to beat the next team on the schedule.  It doesn't matter if we win by 1 or 100. The goal is simple: just win.

Chill. Be smart.  Play sound football.

Take care of the football.  Take care of the football. Then, when you're done with that, take care of the football some more.  The football is your baby.  Would you trust your baby with some kids from Kalamazoo, Michigan? I didn't think so.

Forget about everything else and just play.

Forget about last year.  Forget about the number one ranking.  Forget about the critics and the experts and every person saying we can't do it or we're not good enough.  Forget about who's behind you on the depth chart or who's in front of you on the depth chart because we are a family.  We are nine units strong.

Get loose.  Get rowdy.  Let's play some Buckeye football.

Go Bucks.  Beat Western Michigan.

College Football Week 4 Bold Predictions

1. Texas Tech outguns TCU in Lubbock

You can bet the Red Raiders haven't forgotten about last year's 82 - 27 demolition in Fort Worth.  If Texas Tech can start fast, and get and keep the home crowd involved, I think they have a chance to hang with the Horned Frogs.  And if it's close in the fourth quarter, anything can happen.  Not to mention, TCU has lost four straight games at Texas Tech.  On Saturday, I think it becomes five straight, with a 41 - 38 upset of Gary Patterson's squad.

2. Virginia Tech falls to East Carolina for second straight year

Last year, the Hokies came into this game riding high after knocking off Ohio State on their home turf.  Beamer Ball (TM) was back and Virginia Tech was primed for a great year.  Then, East Carolina came along and gave the Hokies a taste of their own medicine with a 28 - 21 upset in Blacksburg.  The loss sent Virginia Tech spiraling into a season full of mediocrity, as they went on to finish 7 - 6.  This is a pivotal moment again for VT this year.  I think the Pirates come out loose and get the job done again, 27 - 24.

3. Ohio State's defense keeps the Broncos out of the end zone

All the focus recently has been on the Buckeyes' offensive problems and who should be starting at quarterback.  Meanwhile, the Silver Bullets have been outright nasty, and have proven that they will find ways to win games no matter how the offense plays and who is taking snaps at QB.  While I think Jones and the rest of the OSU offense makes major strides against Western Michigan, it will be the defense that really shines again.  They might give up a couple of field goals, but that's it, as the Buckeyes move to 4 - 0 with a much more satisfying 38 - 6 win.

4. Bobcats notch surprise win over Gophers

Minnesota's defense is good enough to keep them in the game against some of the best teams in the country, as evident by their narrow 23 - 17 loss to TCU in the season opener.  But their offensive struggles make them susceptible to lose to just about anyone, as they barely survived contests against Colorado State and Kent State.  Unless the Gophers can find a way to move the ball more consistently, this match-up with a good Ohio team will be another close one.  Look for the Bobcats to come away victorious in this game, 17 - 13.

5. Arizona State changes their fight song to Florence + The Machine's "Shake It Out"

Tempe councilman David Schapira, who had back surgery in July, had an unfortunate encounter with ASU mascot Sparky during halftime of the Sun Devils' game against New Mexico.  Schapira's recovery has been reportedly delayed by 4-6 weeks as a result of the shenanigans.  I think Arizona State has no choice now but to change their official fight song to Florence + The Machine's "Shake It Out", because it's hard to dance with a devil on your back.

College Football Week 3 Recap

First, let's see how I did with my Week 3 Bold Predictions:

1. Boston College upsets Florida State

The Eagles' defense did all they could, clamping down after Florida State's opening drive, in which the Seminoles scored the game's first (and only) offensive points.  But Boston College was kept off the scoreboard, after racking up 100 points over their first two contests (against back-to-back FCS opponents).  Perhaps BC should consider scheduling a bit more aggressively in the future, so that they might be more prepared for conference play.  As it was, the Eagles' offense seemed lost, as they fell 14 - 0 to the Seminoles.

2. USC blows out Stanford by 3 touchdowns or more

So much for this prediction.  Stanford was in control of this game, and it was the Trojans' defense that couldn't contain the balanced Cardinal attack.  USC lost 41 - 31 to Stanford, and now face an uphill battle to get back in the Pac 12 race, let alone playoff contention.  Perhaps it was a bit premature to say the Trojans were back to their dominant pre-sanction ways.

3. Three different Buckeyes throw touchdown passes against Northern Illinois

Another prediction I completely whiffed on.  J.T. Barrett was the only Ohio State player to score any kind of offensive touchdown, after relieving a struggling Jones.  Barrett had struggles of his own, though, and the Buckeye offense as a whole just seemed off.  Whether it's been due to the odd 3-4 defense Hawaii and Northern Illinois both used, adjusting to changes in the coaching staff and player personnel, or simply mental errors and mistakes across the board (the reality is probably some combination of all of these), I'm confident Meyer will get the issues on offense rectified.  In the meantime, the defense has been playing lights-out.  Darron Lee's 41-yard pick six late in the third quarter may have saved the game, as Ohio State survived, 20 - 13.

4. Indiana and Western Kentucky combine for 80+ points

There were definitely fireworks, but not enough to get this prediction right.  The game went back-and-forth and the final score was close, as expected, but the teams combined for only 73 points.  Indiana goes to 3 - 0 after the 38 - 35 win over the Hilltoppers.

5. Rutgers makes it through weekend without any more players or coaches getting arrested and/or suspended

Well, they did it.  Rutgers made it through the weekend without any more players or coaches getting in trouble.  But with all their focus on not screwing up, they forgot they had a football game against Penn State, and were handed an ugly 28 - 3 loss.  On a positive note, Rutgers' interim coach Norries Wilson handled the post-game press conference like a boss.  If he manages his players like he manages the media, I think we'll start to see some better things out of the Scarlet Knights in the coming weeks.

Week 3 record: 1 - 4
Overall record: 3 - 12

I guess I shouldn't quit my day job anytime soon.

Other headlines from week 3:

Wild 66-yard touchdown highlights Ole Miss win over Alabama

Ole Miss upset the Tide last year, but not many picked them to do the same this year, with the game at Alabama.  The Rebels had won only 1 of the last 27 games in Tuscaloosa, and had never claimed back-to-back victories over the Crimson Tide.  But there's a first time for everything, and the Rebels managed to pull off another shocking upset, 43 - 37, helped along with some crazy plays like this one:

Fournette and Chubb take early lead in Heisman race

The workhorse running backs at LSU and Georgia both tore up SEC defenses this weekend in blowout wins for their programs.  Fournette was fueled by some comments made by Auburn safety Rudy Ford, who said it "shouldn't be difficult" to stop the 6'1", 230 pound running back (the Tigers apparently didn't learn from the backfiring of last year's Outback Bowl trash talk).  Chubb was likely motivated by last year's loss to South Carolina.  Can these two powerful running backs keep up the strong performances throughout the season, with one of them possibly taking home the Heisman?

Northwestern, Iowa, Indiana biggest surprises in Big Ten so far

If someone had told me before the season that other than Ohio State and Michigan State, the Wildcats, Hawkeyes, and Hoosiers would be the other undefeated B1G teams going into week 4, I wouldn't have believed them.  Looking at the schedules of Iowa and especially Indiana, it's not that surprising that they've made it this far without a loss, and it seems inevitable that both will falter sooner rather than later.  But still, 3-0 is 3-0.  Northwestern is the real shocker, after pulling off upset wins over Stanford and Duke.  Can they keep the magic alive and compete for the Big Ten West title?

Ohio State of Mind: Northern Illinois

Underestimate no one.

Anyone who looks at Northern Illinois and sees just another "cupcake" doesn't know what they're talking about.  This is a good team with high caliber players that will beat us if we aren't prepared.

Make no excuses.

Last week was our wake-up call.  We can't just show up and expect to win.  If we aren't ready to play against the Huskies, how can we expect to be ready for Penn State, Minnesota, Michigan State, etc?  We have to be ready.

Hold nothing back.

Every team will play their best game against us this year.  We have to leave it all on the field every game or the other team will take it from us.

Yield to no one.  Surrender nothing.

Go Bucks.  Beat Northern Illinois.

College Football Week 3 Bold Predictions

1. Boston College upsets Florida State

The Eagles have played the Seminoles close the last two years, but came up short on both occasions.  I think third time's the charm for Boston College, as they deal a significant blow to Florida State's playoff aspirations with a win at home.  33 - 30, BC.

2. USC blows out Stanford by 3 touchdowns or more

The last five meetings between these two teams has been decided by 8 points or less, but I think that's about to change.  The Trojans are finally starting to recover from NCAA sanctions imposed after the Bush scandal, and the Cardinal look like they might have a down year.  Unless Stanford's defense really steps up, this one could get out of hand fast.  I think USC's high-powered aerial attack is too much for David Shaw's squad, as Stanford falls, 38 - 17.

3. Three different Buckeyes throw touchdown passes against Northern Illinois

Both Cardale Jones and JT Barrett had touchdown passes in week 1 against Virginia Tech, but Ohio State was held without a touchdown pass against Hawaii last weekend - breaking a streak of 24 straight games with such scores, which tied a school record  I think Ohio State's passing game gets back on track this week against Northern Illinois.  Cardale and JT should both get a fair amount of playing time, and Meyer has hinted at the possibility of Miller being ready to throw.  There's also a chance that Stephen Collier gets some reps late, if the Buckeyes have a big enough lead.  No matter who does the scoring, I think Ohio State's offense is too much for the Huskies as they cruise to a 49 - 17 win.

4. Indiana and Western Kentucky combine for 80+ points

I expect fireworks in Bloomington, as both these teams tend to not play extremely sound defense but sport high-powered offenses.  Indiana gets the win, but it ain't pretty, 44 - 42.

5. Rutgers makes it through weekend without any more players or coaches getting arrested and/or suspended

Last weekend, the Scarlet Knights' star receiver, Leonte Carroo, was arrested for body slamming a woman into concrete following the team's loss to Washington State.  Before that, six current and two former players were arrested on various charges related to home invasions and attempted robbery.  And now, the latest scandal for the team involves head coach Kyle Flood, who has been suspended 3 games for violating university policies related to contacting professors.  The off-field issues with this program have been seemingly endless, but I think if they focus all their energy on not screwing up they might be able to make it two days without any more problems.  Maybe.