Brandon Zimmerman
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It’s Time to Support Cardale Jones
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It all started without much fanfare in February 2011 when a three-star recruit signed a letter of intent to play football in his home state of Ohio. Cardale Jones was 6’6” and only 215 pounds and had academic issues which scared away many schools. Jones had an offer to go to Toledo where he would have the opportunity to play earlier but he instead chose to join the 2011 recruiting class which was headlined by five-star quarterback Braxton Miller.
Upon committing to the Buckeyes, Jones already had plans to grayshirt and not enroll full-time at Ohio State until the 2012 session rolled around. In order to help with his academic issues, Jones went to Fork Union Military Academy for the 2012 school year. While at Fork Union he befriended a teammate, Michael Thomas, who was deciding where he would play college football. Thomas had a laundry list of big time programs who wanted him to come play at their school. Ultimately, both Jones and Thomas chose to commit to the 2012 Ohio State recruiting class.
Once again, Jones entered a recruiting class without much consideration by the fans. The 2012 class was Urban Meyer’s first class and was loaded with top-tier talent on both sides of the ball. Guys like Noah Spence, Adolphus Washington, and Se’von Pittman were expected to dominate offensive lines for the next three to four years. But it was the Cleveland Glenville/Fork Union player who might have just played one of the most important roles in Ohio State history.
After a fairly quiet first two years on campus, outside of his famous tweet “heard round the world”, Jones was in position to be the back-up quarterback for the 2014 season behind Heisman favorite Miller. Suddenly, after one fairly innocent throw by Miller in the pre-season, Jones was thrown into the spotlight along with redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett. The kid from Cleveland was now in line to be the projected starter of the Ohio State Buckeyes and control their national championship dreams. But that realization was short lived when Meyer announced the next day that Barrett would be the starter and Jones was once again thrust into the background.
In the beginning, the 2014 season played out just like it would for any back-up. Jones primarily played in mop-up duty when the Buckeyes had built an insurmountable lead. Jones had made it in to a few games but had a modest passing line of 8 of 14 for 114 yards for the season. Then in the fourth quarter of the last game of the regular season against Michigan, everything changed. Holding a slim seven point lead, Jones was able to step right into the quarterback position and lead the Buckeyes to a 42-28 victory. Jones had done what he was asked to do; he stepped in and maneuvered the offense like he had been playing all year against his team’s biggest rival.
As a fan base, Buckeye Nation was still very saddened by the loss of Barrett. Maybe it was too soon after the loss of Miller but the loss of Barrett was simply heartbreaking. I remember being in Ohio Stadium and hearing how quiet the stadium was when Barrett went down. I remember the buzz getting louder as the cart drove onto the field to get the fallen Buckeye. The rest of the game went on but it wasn’t the same. People cheered but it seemed like a forced effort to be happy and forget about the tragic Barrett injury.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 06: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates with quarterback Cardale Jones #12 after their 59-0 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 6, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Going into the Big Ten championship game, we didn’t know what to expect with Jones as the starting quarterback. Many felt the Buckeyes might struggle to win the game. The Badgers were led by Heisman finalist Melvin Gordon while Jones had never started a game. Jones quickly set those worries aside and led the Buckeyes to one touchdown after another. It was surreal how the Buckeyes were playing as Jones seemingly could not miss on the deep ball. Jones would throw for 257 yards and three touchdowns leading the Buckeyes to a 59-0 rout of the Badgers and was named the Big Ten championship game MVP. The performance helped quell any worries the playoff committee had about the Buckeyes and they were moved up to the fourth spot and set up to play the number one team in the nation, Alabama.
Jones has repeatedly come into games with the doubt of Buckeye Nation sitting on his shoulders. There was no possible way Jones would be able to replicate his B1G championship game success against the mighty Crimson Tide. All those jump balls, all those shrugged off tackles, and that seemingly calm and collected personality would not be the same against such a disciplined and talented team led by one of the greatest college coaches ever. But once again Cardale proved all of the doubters wrong. This student athlete who was once an afterthought on the Buckeyes depth chart was able to not only lead the Buckeyes to a victory against Alabama but he also led to the complete annihilation of the Oregon Ducks in the National Championship game.
Many fans and NFL executives anxiously waited to hear whether Jones would take his talents to the NFL or if he would return to Ohio State. He had elevated himself from third string QB at the beginning of the 2014 season to a definite draft pick. Some experts had him getting drafted as early as the first-round but Jones decided he wanted to come back to Ohio State.
As the 2015 season rolled around, once again Buckeye Nation began to doubt Jones. The Buckeyes were in the crazy situation of having the 2-time Big Ten Player of the Year, the star QB who finished 5th for the Heisman as a freshman, and the man who led the Buckeyes to a National Championship all competing for the starting quarterback job. Jones was the only healthy quarterback and he took all of the snaps in the spring while Miller and Barrett worked to get healthy. Miller would soon take himself out of the running by moving to wide receiver and it would turn into a two-horse race.
As we all know, Jones was named the starter for the first game against Virginia Tech, it was pretty much downhill from there. This week, Meyer demoted Jones to second string when he named Barrett the starter against Rutgers. The man who has been doubted so much throughout his Ohio State career is once again put on the back burner and rightfully so. Jones does not look comfortable in the pocket and both the coaches and Jones seem almost afraid to throw the ball downfield. This 2015 offense is simply not smooth with Jones behind the center. Whether it is on the wide receivers or Jones, a switch was necessary to keep the Buckeyes on the path to a second-straight national championship.
ARLINGTON, TX – JANUARY 12: Quarterback Cardale Jones #12 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after defeating the Oregon Ducks 42 to 20 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium on January 12, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Time and time again Jones has showed he will not let adversity keep him down. He will continue to work hard and he won’t turn his back on the team. As fans, you should not turn your back on Jones either. He didn’t want to struggle this year and he did not ask to take over for an injured Barrett last year but he was given the opportunity and he ran with it. Jones gave his all to give the Buckeye Nation a championship. He has been doing everything in his power to lead the team to another championship but it hasn’t been enough. Just as Barrett supported Jones as the starter, Jones will be there to support Barrett. I have no doubt that if something happened to Barrett, Jones would once again be mentally and physically prepared to come in and lead the Buckeyes to another championship because that is the type of person he is.
Jones has never turned his back of the Buckeyes and we owe it to him to support him through these times. I’ve wanted Barrett to be the starter since pre-season practices began but at no time would I ever wish for a young student athlete to put up with the things being said to him on social media. Always remember athletes, coaches, and fans all make up Buckeye Nation and whether they succeed or fail we should support each other.
The post It’s Time to Support Cardale Jones appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
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Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It all started without much fanfare in February 2011 when a three-star recruit signed a letter of intent to play football in his home state of Ohio. Cardale Jones was 6’6” and only 215 pounds and had academic issues which scared away many schools. Jones had an offer to go to Toledo where he would have the opportunity to play earlier but he instead chose to join the 2011 recruiting class which was headlined by five-star quarterback Braxton Miller.
Upon committing to the Buckeyes, Jones already had plans to grayshirt and not enroll full-time at Ohio State until the 2012 session rolled around. In order to help with his academic issues, Jones went to Fork Union Military Academy for the 2012 school year. While at Fork Union he befriended a teammate, Michael Thomas, who was deciding where he would play college football. Thomas had a laundry list of big time programs who wanted him to come play at their school. Ultimately, both Jones and Thomas chose to commit to the 2012 Ohio State recruiting class.
Once again, Jones entered a recruiting class without much consideration by the fans. The 2012 class was Urban Meyer’s first class and was loaded with top-tier talent on both sides of the ball. Guys like Noah Spence, Adolphus Washington, and Se’von Pittman were expected to dominate offensive lines for the next three to four years. But it was the Cleveland Glenville/Fork Union player who might have just played one of the most important roles in Ohio State history.
After a fairly quiet first two years on campus, outside of his famous tweet “heard round the world”, Jones was in position to be the back-up quarterback for the 2014 season behind Heisman favorite Miller. Suddenly, after one fairly innocent throw by Miller in the pre-season, Jones was thrown into the spotlight along with redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett. The kid from Cleveland was now in line to be the projected starter of the Ohio State Buckeyes and control their national championship dreams. But that realization was short lived when Meyer announced the next day that Barrett would be the starter and Jones was once again thrust into the background.
In the beginning, the 2014 season played out just like it would for any back-up. Jones primarily played in mop-up duty when the Buckeyes had built an insurmountable lead. Jones had made it in to a few games but had a modest passing line of 8 of 14 for 114 yards for the season. Then in the fourth quarter of the last game of the regular season against Michigan, everything changed. Holding a slim seven point lead, Jones was able to step right into the quarterback position and lead the Buckeyes to a 42-28 victory. Jones had done what he was asked to do; he stepped in and maneuvered the offense like he had been playing all year against his team’s biggest rival.
As a fan base, Buckeye Nation was still very saddened by the loss of Barrett. Maybe it was too soon after the loss of Miller but the loss of Barrett was simply heartbreaking. I remember being in Ohio Stadium and hearing how quiet the stadium was when Barrett went down. I remember the buzz getting louder as the cart drove onto the field to get the fallen Buckeye. The rest of the game went on but it wasn’t the same. People cheered but it seemed like a forced effort to be happy and forget about the tragic Barrett injury.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 06: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates with quarterback Cardale Jones #12 after their 59-0 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 6, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Going into the Big Ten championship game, we didn’t know what to expect with Jones as the starting quarterback. Many felt the Buckeyes might struggle to win the game. The Badgers were led by Heisman finalist Melvin Gordon while Jones had never started a game. Jones quickly set those worries aside and led the Buckeyes to one touchdown after another. It was surreal how the Buckeyes were playing as Jones seemingly could not miss on the deep ball. Jones would throw for 257 yards and three touchdowns leading the Buckeyes to a 59-0 rout of the Badgers and was named the Big Ten championship game MVP. The performance helped quell any worries the playoff committee had about the Buckeyes and they were moved up to the fourth spot and set up to play the number one team in the nation, Alabama.
Jones has repeatedly come into games with the doubt of Buckeye Nation sitting on his shoulders. There was no possible way Jones would be able to replicate his B1G championship game success against the mighty Crimson Tide. All those jump balls, all those shrugged off tackles, and that seemingly calm and collected personality would not be the same against such a disciplined and talented team led by one of the greatest college coaches ever. But once again Cardale proved all of the doubters wrong. This student athlete who was once an afterthought on the Buckeyes depth chart was able to not only lead the Buckeyes to a victory against Alabama but he also led to the complete annihilation of the Oregon Ducks in the National Championship game.
Many fans and NFL executives anxiously waited to hear whether Jones would take his talents to the NFL or if he would return to Ohio State. He had elevated himself from third string QB at the beginning of the 2014 season to a definite draft pick. Some experts had him getting drafted as early as the first-round but Jones decided he wanted to come back to Ohio State.
As the 2015 season rolled around, once again Buckeye Nation began to doubt Jones. The Buckeyes were in the crazy situation of having the 2-time Big Ten Player of the Year, the star QB who finished 5th for the Heisman as a freshman, and the man who led the Buckeyes to a National Championship all competing for the starting quarterback job. Jones was the only healthy quarterback and he took all of the snaps in the spring while Miller and Barrett worked to get healthy. Miller would soon take himself out of the running by moving to wide receiver and it would turn into a two-horse race.
As we all know, Jones was named the starter for the first game against Virginia Tech, it was pretty much downhill from there. This week, Meyer demoted Jones to second string when he named Barrett the starter against Rutgers. The man who has been doubted so much throughout his Ohio State career is once again put on the back burner and rightfully so. Jones does not look comfortable in the pocket and both the coaches and Jones seem almost afraid to throw the ball downfield. This 2015 offense is simply not smooth with Jones behind the center. Whether it is on the wide receivers or Jones, a switch was necessary to keep the Buckeyes on the path to a second-straight national championship.
ARLINGTON, TX – JANUARY 12: Quarterback Cardale Jones #12 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after defeating the Oregon Ducks 42 to 20 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium on January 12, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Time and time again Jones has showed he will not let adversity keep him down. He will continue to work hard and he won’t turn his back on the team. As fans, you should not turn your back on Jones either. He didn’t want to struggle this year and he did not ask to take over for an injured Barrett last year but he was given the opportunity and he ran with it. Jones gave his all to give the Buckeye Nation a championship. He has been doing everything in his power to lead the team to another championship but it hasn’t been enough. Just as Barrett supported Jones as the starter, Jones will be there to support Barrett. I have no doubt that if something happened to Barrett, Jones would once again be mentally and physically prepared to come in and lead the Buckeyes to another championship because that is the type of person he is.
Jones has never turned his back of the Buckeyes and we owe it to him to support him through these times. I’ve wanted Barrett to be the starter since pre-season practices began but at no time would I ever wish for a young student athlete to put up with the things being said to him on social media. Always remember athletes, coaches, and fans all make up Buckeye Nation and whether they succeed or fail we should support each other.
The post It’s Time to Support Cardale Jones appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
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