J.T. Barrett is no doubt ready to put a difficult week behind him by getting back to the football field and he officially has the inside track on the starting quarterback position.
"He'll be the starter unless he does not have a good week of practice or something. So that's really every week," Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer told reporters at his weekly press conference Monday.
Barrett was arrested about a week ago for operating a vehicle while impaired and backing without safety in an incident where he tried to avoid a police DUI checkpoint near campus. The Associated Press learned his Friday arraignment hearing on the misdemeanor charges was delayed to Tuesday.
Still, Barrett was suspended one game, Ohio State's 28-14 win against Minnesota. Under the Ohio State football program's policy, Barrett was not subject to any punishment, but Meyer decided on the one-game suspension regardless. Barrett also lost his financial aid for the next summer term, though Meyer indicated that could be earned back.
"I think well, it's a mistake made, a serious mistake by a kid that's really lived most of his life mistake free," Meyer told reporters. "He's a kid that's human and I still have these conversations with him. You can handle when people say you're not very tall or fast enough or you don't throw far enough, but when someone challenges who you are as a person or a man, that's tough. He's probably not had that happen to him very often."
Ohio State improved to 9-0 with Jones back as the team's starter, but the team's offense has unquestionably looked far better with Barrett playing QB. In his last three games - the third of which he started - Barrett has 12 total touchdowns and 544 total yards, with no turnovers.
