East-West Shrine Game Presents Pat Tillman Award to Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett

[Per a release from the East-West Shrine Game]

Buckeyes Quarterback Recognized Among Shrine Game All-Stars

Each year, the East-West Shrine Game presents the Pat Tillman Award to recognize the player who best exemplifies intelligence, sportsmanship, and service. The award celebrates a student athlete’s achievements and conduct on and off the football field. The 2018 recipient is Ohio State quarterback, J.T. Barrett.

A Texas native, Barrett capped an outstanding four-year career with the Buckeyes by leading the team to its second Big Ten title in his four years as a starting quarterback in 2017 and to a Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic victory over USC. The only three-time captain in school history, Barrett started 44 games in his Ohio State career and set the school record with 38 victories, set a total of 39 Ohio State (34) or Big Ten Conference (five) records, including some of the most prestigious for a quarterback. He was responsible for 147 passing and rushing touchdowns to rank fourth in NCAA history in that category, and was a Top 10 vote-getter in the Heisman Trophy race twice, including finishing fifth in 2014.

“J.T. Barrett is one of the great young leaders I have ever been around,” said Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. “On behalf of the entire Ohio State football program, I want to congratulate J.T. on this tremendous honor of being named the East-West Shrine Game’s Pat Tillman Award winner.”

Barrett started his Shrine Game experience with a visit to Shriners Hospitals for Children-Tampa where he played with patients on the basketball court, pushing them on swings, taking photos and signing autographs. He spent the week practicing with his teammates under East head coach Jonathan Hayes, tight ends coach of the Cincinnati Bengals.

“It is an honor to receive this award that holds Pat Tillman’s name,” said Barrett. “The people that he impacted during his career and the sacrifice he made says a lot about the kind of man he was.”

About the East-West Shrine Game
The East-West Shrine Game is the longest-running college all-star football game in the country and features some of the highest-rated players in the projected NFL draft ranking. While the teams are divided by East and West, the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children. For more information, visit www.shrinegame.com.

About Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. The 22 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico provide advanced care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. To learn more about Shriners Hospitals for Children, please visit www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

93rd East-West Shrine Game