COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett is an oddity in modern college football, an elite player who stuck around for five years, a guy who helped win a national championship but still has something to prove.
The 22-year-old Texan is again in the driver’s seat in an Urban Meyer offense that’s been a revolving door for coordinators who haven’t found the right formula to get Barrett back to the kind of consistent play that propelled the Buckeyes to the 2014 national championship.
Barrett, who is 26-4 as a starter and the only three-time captain in Ohio State history, said he’s been working with new offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson on tempo, footwork, accuracy and other issues that led to breakdowns last season, particularly in the humiliating 31-0 loss to eventual national champion Clemson in the playoff semifinals.
“He wants to get better,” Wilson said. “He’s a very mature kid who’s hungry and working hard. When your best players are veterans, they’ve played a lot and yet they’re working harder, that is a great image as a coach.”
Barrett is surrounded by talent.