The Ohio State offense put up just 350 yards of total offense in week two against Oklahoma. It was the Buckeyes’ worst yardage game this season by over 230 yards, and it happened against a Sooner defense that has allowed 523, 449, 428, and 412 yards over their last four games.
OSU rushed for a season-low 167 yards against Oklahoma, but it was J.T. Barrett’s 19-of-35 passing for 183 yards that everyone remembers.
It’s also what has everyone concerned heading into Saturday’s matchup against Penn State.
The Nittany Lions will come into Ohio Stadium with the nation’s best pass efficiency defense. They have allowed a nation-low three touchdown passes, and their 5.2 yards per attempt allowed is the lowest in the nation as well.
This is going to be the biggest test for the Buckeye passing game this season, and every last ounce of OSU’s offensive performance is seemingly being put on Barrett’s shoulders.
The good news for Ohio State is that no quarterback in the nation is playing better than Barrett right now. His numbers have been documented over the last five games plenty, and he is a completely different quarterback than he was at the start of the season.
Right?
“No. I feel the same,” Barrett said last week.
But how can that be? Just look at the numbers. Barrett has completed over 70% of his passes for 270 yards per game with 18 touchdowns since that loss. Clearly, Barrett is a different guy now.
“Not really,” he said. “I’m the same person that people said that they wanted to bench. I’m the same person now who is playing well. Same guy.”
Okay, he’s the same guy, but he’s a different quarterback, right?
“Same guy,” he reiterated.
“That’s the fun part of knowing J.T. behind the scenes that you guys don’t get to see,” said center Billy Price. “That man has not changed. We have complete confidence going into every game plan with him behind me. It’s making sure that the offense is continuing to grow, continuing to develop in different dimensions.”
Barrett may be the same quarterback, but the offense is growing around him and he is taking better advantage of what the offense can do.
“You are starting to see wide receivers run wide open underneath,” Price said. “So those mesh routes underneath and making sure you dump the ball off shorter distances, then you see a post route go to Terry McLaurin for 30-some yards. You start seeing that, and the other thing with J.T. is that against Nebraska there were like 20 MPH winds and he threw a dime. Most people don’t get to see that. The kid has not changed a thing.”
Barrett hasn’t changed and it’s that consistency that his teammates have come to rely upon.
“Preparation and his nose to the grindstone and making sure his attention to detail makes sure this offense continues to grow and develop, that’s exactly who he is,” Price said.
Barrett is the same guy.
The same quarterback.
But there have been changes made to this offense, and those changes have the Buckeyes on the right track and at the right time.
“I think our offense has grown,” Price said. “The coaching staff has been more comfortable with each other, the scheme we’re using to attack people has been great and fantastic and has put us in position to dominate, and we’re playing fast and we’re seeing a lot of good things happen from it.”
Kudos to JT and an amazing Buckeye career. He is the same guy and the same player. I hope to hell I am wrong, but JT’s stats are a reflection of how good the DBs he is facing. If DBs allow a cushion to hit a stopped receiver or allow the receiver to adjust routes to get to where the ball is thrown it’s a great day. If they are good enough to play tight and box out or make plays to where the ball is thrown, it is pure frustraation. All completions are not equal. The quality of those completions tells you how far a team can really go. I am looking for quality completions. Go Bucks!
This coaching staff is putting players in a position to succeed, that’s the difference. JTB IS the same guy and he IS a different (and better) QB. If we had this kind of coaching in ’15 we’d have another NC under our belt. There’s just no telling how much that hurt us, but it has been corrected and now we’re seeing some results.
It’s true. He IS the same; still needing help from outstanding receptions of his just-so-slightly errant throws on anything over 10 yards downfield. The difference in the last few games has been that the receivers are making those tougher-than-necessary catches. Hope they continue to do so against Penn State and every team we play from now until the end of the season.
Go Bucks!!
The CLE PD reported that JTB pass yards per attempt has jumped and is greater than McSorley’s and that JTB has hit far more deep passes that McSorley has this year and even last year. Not sure the PSU has seen an O like OSU’s, the key will be our OL play. MI did have some success against this ‘vaunted’ D that has had success against teams with a combined 26-24 record. If JTB can keep up his vertical passing success,OSU will put up points, will that be enough? We’ll have to wait and see.
Yep, same guy. Nope, different quarterback. The quarterback we saw against OU is the same guy, but he’s NOT the same quarterback.. They aren’t even related to each other.The QB against OU was a weak armed, scared rookie. The QB against Nebraska threw with good accuracy, without hesitancy, no fear and, was a veteran leader.
Most people didn’t want JT Barrett benched (frigging stupid woe is me……poor poor me victimhood nonsense). NOBODY in Buckeye Nation ever has come close to hating him. Most everyone I talk to remain in agreement. He’s the best option quarterback in all of College Football. WITHOUT exception. He remains the best option for quarterback on the Buckeye roster.
Anyone with eyes even looking at the timid rushing by the quarterback against OU, the noodle arm “throwing” and the entitled looking sideline disposition would EVER confuse him for the quarterback we saw against Nebraska.
Same Guy
Different Quarterback
What has changed since Oklahoma ? Better pass protection. Better play calling.
Fewer dropped passes. Those will build a QB’s confidence. I think J T is now
more confident. His physical skills were always there.
If it was just the passing aspect that has changed I’d agree. If you don’t have the OU game, go on Youtube and watch the game again. JT’s ball handling skills were off nd he ran and did a nose dive when a defender got within 5 yards of him. Once you notice that it makes the horrible passing that much more evident. The current offensive line was bringing back 4 starters from the previous year. Now fast forward to the Nebraska game. Jt wasn’t hesitant or inaccurate. He ran with authority and became the alpha ball distributor in the run aspect of the option games again.
Coach Meyer says this is a defining game for JT. I think it is. Which JT Barrett shows up Saturday? The one who completely shredded Nebraska or the timid and seemingly confused who played in the OU game?
One thing is certain. The guy who beat up Nebraska is NOT the same quarterback who got ruined by OU.
Pardon my typo in the last sentence above, it should have read “does not” rather than “doesn’t not”- I was so aggravated I supplied a double negative. I need this game to be over so this topic can be buried (with an OSU victory, of course)
At the risk of sounding like a broken record- only because the topic keeps being resurrected again and again, mind you- the offensive coaching staff somehow managed to IGNORE a rushing attack against OU that was actually working in game. This means running backs getting the ball from the quarterback and churning yards, not the qb himself becoming the tailback. Lots of things went wrong that game, and an equal number of them were self inflicted offensive game planning wounds and good execution by OU. We have to hope that the coaches are made of stronger stuff in this big game, than they have been made of in recent big games. This means no gimmick nonsense and no 40 yard passes unless the WR is somehow 20 yards behind every defender on the field- effective tailback runs and efficient and varied shorter passes PLEASE. A pass doesn’t not have to be thrown 40 yards for the play to gain 40 yards, and running backs averaging 5/6 yards per carry should be relied upon, NOT abandoned.