Josh Dooley
Guest
J.T. Barrett is a gosh darn American and Buckeye hero
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
2014 J.T. Barrett was one of the most important and impactful players in Ohio State football history, despite missing his team’s postseason run.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
This week is all about Buckeye Heroes here at LGHL, meaning that on the football side of things, you are likely to hear or read about some of the usual suspects: Hopalong Cassidy, Archie (like Prince, the man needs only one name), Eddie George, Troy Smith and so on. And who could forget Cardale Jones, whose name simply must be near the top of the program’s all-time list?
The players mentioned above are just a few of the many, many deserving Buckeyes who rightfully earned or cemented hero status during their time in Columbus. Jones is or was perhaps the most unlikely of heroic figures, given his status as an unknown backup quarterback when Ohio State began its last/most recent championship run. And for that reason, his story and career are (probably?) the most likely to be discussed, written about, and remembered for a long, long time.
So we’ve established that I am and always will be a huge fan of Jones. He deserves all the praise and recognition in the world. But...
I also feel that in the decade since OSU captured its last national title, the legend of “12-Gauge” has kinda, sorta, maybe overshadowed the greatness and heroics of the team’s other unknown quarterback heading into that 2014 season. The quarterback who started 12 games in front of Jones and helped save the Buckeyes’ season on multiple occasions.
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Set Number: X159882 TK1
Of course, I am talking about the only and only Joe Thomas Barrett IV, more commonly known as J.T. I decided to write about Barrett this week not because it is original or unique to do so, but rather because I believe that he has become THE most underrated player in Ohio State football history.
Now, I realize that I am not the first, last, or only person to make this argument — or one like it. And it’s entirely possible that I am missing or underestimating the widespread appreciation for Barrett. But as someone who lives in Columbus, 10 minutes from OSU’s campus, I can honestly say that it seems like his name is brought up less and less frequently as time goes on.
Obviously I can’t be proven right (or wrong), but just pretend for a second that my hunch of opinion was somehow verified: Why is it, exactly, that Barrett has become a bit of an afterthought? Is it because he never really made it as a pro? Or because he hasn’t spent a ton of time around the Buckeyes’ program since his college career ended?
Who knows? Not me, that’s for sure. But what I do know is that Barrett is, was, and always will be a Buckeye Hero. Which is why I wanted to pay homage this week. So here goes nothin’...
The 2014 version of Barrett (specifically) was, in my opinion, one of the best, most important, most impactful players in Ohio State football history. That’s right; I said it, I mean it, and I believe it. I believe that 2014 Barrett should be mentioned in the same breath as OSU’s First Team All-Americans, Heisman Trophy winners, and top NFL Draft picks.
I mean, think about it. Really think about it. Barrett started 12 games for a team that won the first CFP National Championship. In those 12 games, he accounted for 45 total touchdowns and nearly 3,800 total yards. He scored two (both) overtime TDs at Penn State, came up clutch in several other games, and most importantly, helped Urban Meyer’s team rebound from a humbling home loss to Virginia Tech early in the season.
Oh, and not for nothin’, but Barrett did all of this as a relative unknown, with no previous game experience (college), who was merely and only supposed to back up Braxton Miller until the latter underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.
Without Barrett, I don’t believe that Ohio State would have finished the 2014 regular season 11-1. Sure, it was Jones who helped the team knock off Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon, but it’s not like he put up video game numbers in the process. We’ll never know if he could or would have produced over a 12 to 15-game span. Jones deserves a ton of credit for coming up big when it mattered, but Ezekiel Elliott and a deep, talented defense are what really fueled OSU’s postseason run.
Even if 2014 had ended differently, Barrett would likely still be considered a Buckeye hero by most. He is Ohio State’s all-time leader in wins and several statistical categories, including total touchdowns... By 59! Which is why I called out my own lack of creativity earlier. But every so often, I feel the need to remind the (small, I think?) anti-Barrett crowd that if not for him, OSU would still be in search of its first national title since 2002.
Then “we” would be no better than Miami or USC. Is that what you want!? I didn’t think so. So let’s all remember to give Barrett his flowers on a regular basis. He certainly earned them.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
2014 J.T. Barrett was one of the most important and impactful players in Ohio State football history, despite missing his team’s postseason run.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
This week is all about Buckeye Heroes here at LGHL, meaning that on the football side of things, you are likely to hear or read about some of the usual suspects: Hopalong Cassidy, Archie (like Prince, the man needs only one name), Eddie George, Troy Smith and so on. And who could forget Cardale Jones, whose name simply must be near the top of the program’s all-time list?
The players mentioned above are just a few of the many, many deserving Buckeyes who rightfully earned or cemented hero status during their time in Columbus. Jones is or was perhaps the most unlikely of heroic figures, given his status as an unknown backup quarterback when Ohio State began its last/most recent championship run. And for that reason, his story and career are (probably?) the most likely to be discussed, written about, and remembered for a long, long time.
So we’ve established that I am and always will be a huge fan of Jones. He deserves all the praise and recognition in the world. But...
I also feel that in the decade since OSU captured its last national title, the legend of “12-Gauge” has kinda, sorta, maybe overshadowed the greatness and heroics of the team’s other unknown quarterback heading into that 2014 season. The quarterback who started 12 games in front of Jones and helped save the Buckeyes’ season on multiple occasions.
Of course, I am talking about the only and only Joe Thomas Barrett IV, more commonly known as J.T. I decided to write about Barrett this week not because it is original or unique to do so, but rather because I believe that he has become THE most underrated player in Ohio State football history.
Now, I realize that I am not the first, last, or only person to make this argument — or one like it. And it’s entirely possible that I am missing or underestimating the widespread appreciation for Barrett. But as someone who lives in Columbus, 10 minutes from OSU’s campus, I can honestly say that it seems like his name is brought up less and less frequently as time goes on.
Obviously I can’t be proven right (or wrong), but just pretend for a second that my hunch of opinion was somehow verified: Why is it, exactly, that Barrett has become a bit of an afterthought? Is it because he never really made it as a pro? Or because he hasn’t spent a ton of time around the Buckeyes’ program since his college career ended?
Who knows? Not me, that’s for sure. But what I do know is that Barrett is, was, and always will be a Buckeye Hero. Which is why I wanted to pay homage this week. So here goes nothin’...
The 2014 version of Barrett (specifically) was, in my opinion, one of the best, most important, most impactful players in Ohio State football history. That’s right; I said it, I mean it, and I believe it. I believe that 2014 Barrett should be mentioned in the same breath as OSU’s First Team All-Americans, Heisman Trophy winners, and top NFL Draft picks.
I mean, think about it. Really think about it. Barrett started 12 games for a team that won the first CFP National Championship. In those 12 games, he accounted for 45 total touchdowns and nearly 3,800 total yards. He scored two (both) overtime TDs at Penn State, came up clutch in several other games, and most importantly, helped Urban Meyer’s team rebound from a humbling home loss to Virginia Tech early in the season.
Oh, and not for nothin’, but Barrett did all of this as a relative unknown, with no previous game experience (college), who was merely and only supposed to back up Braxton Miller until the latter underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.
Without Barrett, I don’t believe that Ohio State would have finished the 2014 regular season 11-1. Sure, it was Jones who helped the team knock off Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon, but it’s not like he put up video game numbers in the process. We’ll never know if he could or would have produced over a 12 to 15-game span. Jones deserves a ton of credit for coming up big when it mattered, but Ezekiel Elliott and a deep, talented defense are what really fueled OSU’s postseason run.
Even if 2014 had ended differently, Barrett would likely still be considered a Buckeye hero by most. He is Ohio State’s all-time leader in wins and several statistical categories, including total touchdowns... By 59! Which is why I called out my own lack of creativity earlier. But every so often, I feel the need to remind the (small, I think?) anti-Barrett crowd that if not for him, OSU would still be in search of its first national title since 2002.
Then “we” would be no better than Miami or USC. Is that what you want!? I didn’t think so. So let’s all remember to give Barrett his flowers on a regular basis. He certainly earned them.
Continue reading...