No matter who starts, Ohio State’s offense hinges on a QB’s rushing ability

Golic on Meyer: Just name Barrett the starter Mike Golic expresses his frustration about how Urban Meyer hasn’t been definitive about naming J.T. Barrett the starting QB for Ohio State. 0 Shares print COLUMBUS, Ohio — One is a bulldozer, a physical presence capable of flattening tacklers and a load to slow down once the momentum gets rolling. The other is a sports car, darting in and out of traffic and then flashing more top-end speed once the field opens up in front of him. The differences between Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett are obvious and well documented by now after months of scrutiny of Ohio State’s talented quarterbacks and their back-and-forth battle. But while the styles may be different when it comes to running the football, by now it’s become quite clear that whoever is taking the snaps for the Buckeyes has to be given the green light to use his wheels — regardless of whether or not he can threaten the speed limit. “They’re much different rushers,” coach Urban Meyer said. “Cardale did nice job on draws, the more slower-developing plays. Then J.T., as you look back, his history of the more quick-hitting and a little more Braxton [Miller] style. “It’s just a much different style of offense, but we have the ability to do both.” At times this season, the Buckeyes appeared to be trying to phase out the quarterback rush from their playbook, and that may have caused some of their early issues when they weren’t living up to their high-scoring standards. But as it became apparent that a depleted unit of wide receivers was making it more difficult to stretch the field, that the pass protection wasn’t quite as solid as it had been in the past and that crashing defenders were clogging up rushing lanes for star tailback Ezekiel Elliott, there was really no choice for Ohio State but to bring it back. …

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