COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Ohio State’s freshmen took the field for the first official practice of their college careers on Monday, a familiar face stood off to the side for the newcomers-only gathering.
Maybe he was finishing up some extra work, or perhaps he just wanted to get a glance at his newest teammates, but regardless of his reasoning, it would have been hard to imagine Cardale Jones attending a non-mandatory practice—especially one with an 8:35 a.m. start time—a year ago.
Yet there Jones was, wearing a white LeBron James Nike “Witness” T-shirt with Beats by Dre headphones draped around his neck. He certainly looked much more like a leader than the career backup that he was until the Buckeyes’ historic postseason run seven months ago.
Some may want to read into Jones’ Monday morning practice appearance, and others will shrug it off as a mere coincidence, a moment that wouldn’t have been noticed if the reigning national champions weren’t currently being viewed under a microscope. But searching for meaning will become a regular habit in Columbus in the coming weeks when it comes to both Jones and J.T. Barrett, as the two signal-callers vie to regain their status as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.
That will certainly be the case as the Buckeyes take the field for their veterans-only practice on Monday afternoon, as an unprecedented quarterback competition more than a year in the making officially begins.
But before we take a look at where the…
Continue Reading: Cardale Jones or J.T. Barrett? Complete Guide to Ohio State’s Historic QB Battle
