Scarlet Letter: Saying Goodbye To A Legend

Dec 29, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) celebrates after the game against the USC Trojans in the 2017 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

As the clock reaches zeroes and the confetti pours down from above, an Ohio State legend gallops into the sunset after his final game donning the scarlet and gray.  It is surely, a bittersweet moment amid an average performance by JT Barrett, but the emotions of this final moment will vary among the fan base.

Two sides of the same coin, the intensity of the arguments can be felt across the nation, and it suddenly turns Buckeye fans against each other, when we should be celebrating his accomplishments and what he has done for the team–instead of nitpicking at his flaws.

JT Barrett has done so much for the university, and yes, while championships are the goal, sometimes the season just plays out differently, leading to the team underachieving, but that is football for you.  Sometimes it does not go your way.  Do not let the lack of championships obstruct your view of JT and his accomplishments because he has done more in his five-year stint at Ohio State than most players that played the position.

He has more wins than any other Buckeye signal caller, after besting Art Schlicter’s age-old record for wins with his 44th win as a starter against 6 losses, and he was the only Buckeye to go 4-0 against TTUN.  As mind-boggling as it has been through the years with his ups and his downs, his strengths and his weaknesses, he still managed to win.  It wasn’t always pretty, and he always took over when he had to, but he flat out played to win.

Unfortunately, a small portion of the fanbase is unwilling to appreciate his efforts often pointing to the Iowa game, where the offense under Barrett struggled mightily as they were blown out by 31 points.  This 31 point loss was the deciding factor that put eventual Champion Alabama in over Ohio State.  Ever since that loss, the appreciation was not the same for Barrett or the team.

This is what is so frustrating about our fanbase–they are too spoiled and they expect too much to the point to where it is unrealistic and unattainable.  You cannot expect Ohio State to win every game, you cannot expect the home teams to just lay down just because your Ohio State, and you cannot expect them not to give you their best shot when you come around because you are a brand name in CFB–a blueblood program.  Iowa definitely dished out the haymaker or knockout punch in the beginning, and it all just went downhill from there, but the team fought tirelessly until the end.

Yes, the playcalling caters to Barrett’s strengths and they are semi-conservative.  There is no pop or explosiveness to the offense.  He was inaccurate and inconsistent, the playcalling was limited and uninspiring, they forgot about their RB’s, and they often called nothing but short passes and RPO’s that often lead to Barrett rushes for the rest of the season.

I get it, I fell in love with the Buckeyes in 2006 during my first enlistment in the Air Force coming in from Guam, during the Troy Smith era.  They had so much excitement and explosiveness on offense, it was always a treat to watch them shred teams with their unpredictability.  I miss it, but it is a different era, different Quarterback.  Hopefully, the next man up will provide the same spark on offense, but we need to take the time to appreciate his accomplishments and achievements during his time as a Buckeye.

There is no more need for slander because he is gone.  He has done too much for us to go out with negativity like I have seen.  He is a Buckeye, he was a great leader, a competitor, a winner, and a legend.  Let JT Barrett ride off into the sunset in peace.  Send him off on a high note and let his memory bring you joy instead of pure vitriol for what he failed to do and just focus on the positives.

I know that this won’t change the overall perception or view of Barrett, but I have had enough of the negativity.  It was fun while it lasted, but the next man up will take over another deep and talented offense.  Thank you JT for all you have done, God bless you and I hope that you succeed at the next level, whether it is as a player or a coach.  Go Bucks!

J.T. BARRETT RECORDS 
Big Ten
45 – Touchdowns responsible for, season
7 – Freshman of the week awards, season                                                                                      9423 – Total Yardage, career

Ohio State
233 – Completions, season (2016)
529 – Completions, career
6 – Touchdown passes, games (2 times)
34 – Touchdown passes, season (2014)
69 – Touchdown passes, career
177.2 – Passing Yards per game, career
18 – 200-yard passing games, career
169.8 – Passing efficiency, season (2014)
3,772 – Total yards, season (2014)
314.3 – Average total offensive yards, season (2014)
245.7 – Average total offensive yards, career
7 – Touchdowns responsible for, game (BGSU, 2016)
45 – Touchdowns responsible for, season (2014)
100 – Touchdowns responsible for, career
11 – Games gaining 200 yards total offense, season (2 times)
26 – Games gaining 200 yards total offense, career
7 – Games gaining 300 yards total offense, season (2014)
14 – Games gaining 300 yards total offense, career
1 – Games gaining 400 or more yards total offense, season
11 – Most wins by first-year starting QB
189 – Rushing yards by a QB, game (Minnesota, 2014)
86 – Longest rush by a QB (Minnesota, 2014)

BARRETT’S CAREER TOTAL OFFENSE STATS

CAREER BESTS
Completions……………………… 28 at Penn State (10/22/16)
Attempts…………………………… 43 at Penn State (10/22/16)
Yards Passing……………………. 349 vs. Bowling Green (9/3/16)
TD passes…………………………. *6 (2x) last vs. Bowling Green (9/3/16)
Longest Completion……………. 80 vs. Navy (8/30/14)
Yards Rushing…………………… *189 at Minnesota (11/25/14)
Rushing Attempts………………. 30 vs. Michigan (11/26/16)
Longest Rush…………………….. *86/TD at Minnesota (11/25/14)
Rushing TDs……………………… 2 (6x) last at Wisconsin (10/15/16)
Total Offense…………………….. 409 vs. Cincinnati (9/27/14)
Total Touchdowns……………… *7 vs. Bowling Green (9/3/16)
*Indicates school records; ^School QB records