COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Urban Meyer took the podium following his team’s first practice of fall camp, the Ohio State head coach didn’t waste time playing coy.
With an unprecedented quarterback competition officially underway, Meyer knew what was on everybody’s mind and didn’t even wait for a question to broach the subject of the now-ongoing battle between Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett.
“J.T. and Cardale—they’re fine. There’s no update other than they’re fine, I guess,” Meyer said while delivering rare opening remarks in his post-practice press conference.
“It’s even. Straight even.”
The three-time national champion head coach expects his quarterback conundrum to remain that way throughout the first half of fall camp as he gives equal reps to both Jones and Barrett. In fact, Meyer entered the preseason so set on giving an equal shot to each of his signal-callers to reclaim their starting status that he determined who would take the first rep of Monday’s practice by flipping a coin.
Meyer claimed that he wasn’t even sure at the time who won the toss—it was Jones calling “heads”—only furthering the illusion that Jones and Barrett are currently deadlocked.
“It’s a little bit of a work in progress. Our objective is in the first dozen practices, 50-50 right down the middle,” Meyer said. “Have we ever done it like this? I can’t think we have.”
But while Meyer aims to give both Jones, the national championship winner and potential first-round…
Continue Reading: Don’t Let Him Fool You, Urban Meyer Will Know His QB Decision Sooner Than Later
