USA TODAY SportsJ.T. Barrett threw for just 74 yards in Ohio State’s double-overtime win at Penn State. COLUMBUS, Ohio — To paraphrase Eminem, will the real J.T. Barrett please stand up? Of course, with a sprained MCL, that may be easier said than done for the Ohio State quarterback. Nevertheless, that’s become the most popular question in Columbus over the past three days following Barrett’s struggles in the Buckeyes’ 31-24 double-overtime win over Penn State in Happy Valley on Saturday. After entering the Heisman Trophy discussion following video-game-like performances against Kent State, Cincinnati, Maryland and Rutgers, the redshirt freshman posted just 74 passing yards against the Nittany Lions, also tossing two interceptions and one touchdown. Those numbers are a far cry from the 292.5 passing yards and 4.25 touchdowns per game that he averaged in his previous four outings, although he did do enough on the ground (75 yards, two overtime touchdowns) to escape State College with a win. It is also worth noting that he sprained his MCL at some point in the first half, an injury that has previously cost Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde significant playing time for the Buckeyes. “It was a tough, gritty performance,” Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said of Barrett’s most recent showing. Regardless of whatever handicap you place on Barrett’s uneven outing against Penn State, the fact remains that his two worst games have come against the two best defenses that the Buckeyes have faced this season. While the Nittany Lions rank seventh in the nation in total defense, Virginia Tech currently measures in at No. 27 in the same category, having held Barrett to a 9-of-29, 219-yard, one-touchdown, three-interception stat line on Sept. 6. …
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: Who Is the Real J.T. Barrett?
