J.T. Barrett has been playing lights-out football for the Ohio State Buckeyes this season and it seems to have pushed injured incumbent starter Braxton Miller to the background. Coach Urban Meyer has recently softened on his strong stance that Miller would reclaim the starting gig once he returned from a shoulder injury.
"Competition brings out the best, and I'm really excited to have two really good quarterbacks next year," Meyer said. "That's the plan. I think they're both excellent quarterbacks. Excellent quarterbacks. And we'll worry about that day when it comes."
That day won't be anytime soon. Miller still has a lengthy rehabilitation process to undergo while Barrett leads the nation's 16th ranked offense. The redshirt freshman totaled five touchdowns this weekend against No. 8 Michigan in a 49-37 victory. OSU (No. 14) has risen to the fringes of the college football playoffs.
Miller is a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the year. Since reinjuring his throwing shoulder in August, Miller has only said that he plans to return to OSU next season. On Sept. 30, Meyer announced definitively that "Braxton is our quarterback."
However, moving on from Barrett may prove more difficult than initially anticipated. The new quarterback is completing 64 percent of his passes and has thrown for 2,156 yards and 26 touchdowns while also rushing for 582 yards and eight scores. Coaches are saying all the right things about next season, but the questions still remain.
"Again, I know it sounds like coachspeak, but I honestly give [a potential 2015 competition] zero thought," offensive coordinator Tom Herman said. "Zero. I hate to say that, but I'm focused on this team -- and I'm also focused on Braxton and his rehab, which is going great, from what I understand. He's diligent, he's working his tail off in there and doing everything that's asked of him.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Meyer doesn't seem too concerned with the looming issue.
"We're very fortunate to have those guys," Meyer said.
