The Three-Body Problem: Ohio State's QB Dilemma

At this point in 2014, Buckeye Nation was frustrated after another tough loss, during which Braxton came up just short for the second straight game. But with Kenny Guiton graduating, it seemed like Ohio State's QB situation was clear: Braxton would make another run at the Heisman and the inaugural College Football Playoff his senior year, and then the job would go to the untested Cardale "They Don't Even Let Me Throw in Garbage Time" Jones.

Fast forward to now, where presumptive 3rd string QB Cardale "I Ain't Come to Play in College Stadiums" Jones, fresh off a national championship, announces that he's come to play school for at least one more year. The guy he replaced, JT Barrett, finished 5th in the Heisman voting after starting for the majority of his freshman year. And the smoke signals coming from Braxton's camp seem to point to his return as well. With such an embarrassment of riches at QB, to whom should Urban turn on Labor Day in Blacksburg?

Question 1: Who Starts for the Buckeyes in 2015, and Who's #2?
Draper:  I'm going to focus on who I would start.  Trying to predict Urban is incredibly hard because of his deep love for Braxton.  In my mind, the edge goes to JT Barrett.  I'm an unabashed fan of the skill set of JT who I think is the best quarterback on the roster.  But herein lies the problem: Does the choice go to:
a) The best QB/passer? JT
b) The best athlete? Braxton
c) The best NFL body with (arguably) the highest ceiling? Cardale
Some say this is a great problem to have, and I'd prefer this to having no QBs, but it is called a problem for a reason.  I lean to JT in the front if he's healthy with Cardale nipping at his heels.  I don't think Braxton has the arm ability to succeed at the next level. He has more explosive play ability but the best QBs in any league must be competent in the pocket.  Cardale shined against some tough defenses, but let's be honest with ourselves, Zeke was the key.  Don't take everything away from Mr. Jones, but the 12-gauge chucked it deep and it worked.  I saw a few nice throws that were far better than anything I'd seen in the short history of Cardale Jones, but not enough to hand the keys to the car.  Cardale finished the run, but there is NO WAY we are there without JT. Give me the best passer with the best football mind.  Give me JT Barrett.
Hoying: Urban loves Braxton. Let's not forget that in Evanston in 2013, after Kenny G had proved in September that he could be the man to lead Ohio State, and Braxton had already turned it over 3 times to Northwestern, Urban stuck with his guy to pull out the win. Braxton, not Hyde, got the ball on 4th-and-1 against Michigan State. And Braxton, even though obviously hurt, was the man Urban trusted to produce some endgame magic during the Orange Bowl collapse. This season, even after JT produced record-breaking numbers against Cincinnati, Urban reiterated that Braxton would be the man in 2015. How does Urban sit a 2-year Heisman contender and 2-time B1G Offensive POY?
Then Barrett set the single-season touchdown record, surpassing some guy named TROY SMITH who had a pretty good career at OSU. He was the All-B1G QB and finished 5th in the Heisman voting despite missing the last game and a half of the season due to injury. How does Urban sit the guy who willed this team to road wins against Penn State and Michigan State and shredded the record books along the way?
Cardale's record speaks for itself. 3 games against 3 of the top defenses in the country, 3 huge wins. Zero INTs that were his fault (though the fumbles against Oregon were horrendous). How does Urban sit the champ?
From where I'm sitting, I can't see a reason for Urban to stick with Braxton anymore. JT throws a prettier ball and keeps his eyes downfield while buying time in or out of the pocket. As for the ground game, it seemed like every single down this year, we had to listen to announcers say "JT isn't the running threat that Braxton Miller is, but he can still make some things happen." Poppycock. In 2012, Braxton rushed for 1271 yards, 5.6 YPC, and 13 TDs. This year, JT rushed for 938 yards, 5.5 YPC, and 11 TDs. JT can run as much as Braxton does, and while he doesn't quite have Braxton's escapability, he has the vision to avoid big hits and can actually absorb a couple without shattering (unless a lineman sits on his ankle). Furthermore, the guy DOES NOT misread the zone read. He runs Braxton's offense better than Braxton does, and he did it as a freshman. Anyone remember Braxton as a freshman?
That just leaves Cardale. JT was stunning this season, but he didn't face Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon. JT's first 3 starts were an uneven struggle against an OK Navy defense, a disaster against Virginia Tech (behind an awful O-line), and...pick your score against Kent State. Cardale's resume was impressive, but can we really say any of those victories was because of Cardale's efforts? His TD passes set the tone against Wisconsin, but the defense pitched a shutout, the receivers bailed him out on a couple of throws, and Zeke was crushing their spirits by the end. The Sugar Bowl was his shining moment, with 12 Gauge picking up 3rd and long after 3rd and long and rolling the Tide's LBs beneath his gargantuan frame. And the National Championship clearly belonged to Zeke and the Silver Bullets, though Cardale didn't stand in their way. Who was more impressive: JT against Michigan State or Cardale against Alabama? Hard to say.
I think the tiebreaker lies in Urban's system. Urban loves the zone read, and as previously mentioned, JT runs it perfectly. Cardale is an NFL-type QB, and he'll be playing on Sunday's, but Urban's not going to completely remake his offense around one of his QB options, just to switch it back after Cardale leaves next year. Depending on how fast the offense learns and how quickly the new starters jell together in the offseason, we may see a two QB system next year, just to give opposing defenses even more fits. BUT, during their first drive down the field, the men of the scarlet and gray will be led by...

1. JT Barrett, backed up by
2. Cardale Jones.
3. Braxton Miller...will be gone

Seeberg:  First off, I would like to think that this will be a non-issue.  I believe newly minted offensive coordinator Ed Warinner and his co-coordinator Tim Beck should spend months devising a passing version of the triple option in which all three are in the backfield simultaneously.  It would be literally indefensible.  Short of that?  As absurd as this statement would have been just two months ago, 12-Gauge may have the inside track at the moment.  He is still the least proven of the three and his numbers are actually not as good in terms of QBR as either Braxton or J.T.  That said, he went up against three top 15 teams (which accounts for his lower QBR rating) and still beat them all.  Further, Miller and J.T. will both still be rehabbing during spring ball which means Cardale gets another month of first-team reps to continue to get acclimated and improve.

Assuming all three are in the scarlet and gray, healthy for summer ball and it is a truly "open" competition, I have to give the edge to Cardale.  My gut, however, tells me that Urban has a soft spot for Braxton and the job will still be his come opening day if he is healthy and performs well enough during the summer.  In either case, I believe the opposite guy will be #2 (Braxton under Cardale or vice versa).  J.T. Barrett and his B1G record for TDs responsible for in a season?  Third-stringer.  I know it's cliche, but it really is a pretty nice problem to have.

Question 2: What Should Braxton Miller Do?
Draper: I didn't mention my thoughts above, but the second Cardale said he was returning to play school, I tweeted #byeBraxton.  There's only one reason to stay and that is that his style of football matches Urban's philosophy to a T.  Even though OSU is the best fit for Braxton, I don't think the best fit for OSU is Braxton.  If he transfers, he can take over the reins of another program in which he can flourish rather than being mired in a QB battle.  He has served the university well and should be lauded for what he has done, but JT and Cardale seem to have a better future in college and the pros in my opinion.  The injury issue with Braxton cannot be overlooked with the glut of talent.  You need to have faith that your guy can stand in and take a hit.  I don't think he can do that.  Earlier in the season, there was chatter about him taking over the RB duties...but no way that's happening with Zeke exploding on the scene.  I wish him well, but I think he'd be best served taking his talents elsewhere.  FSU is a possibility, but I don't know if he fits Jimbo's pro style system.  It would be good for him to refine his skills in an attempt to make the NFL but would the Noles want him? Oregon is a nice fit, but little room to grow.  To step into a ready made position, Houston seems like a perfect fit with Tom Herman, but clearly, the chance for a title is essentially zero.  I'm guessing he goes to Eugene or Tallahassee...who knows? Maybe we'll meet again.
Hoying: As I said above, I don't see a compelling reason for Urban to start Braxton over JT Barrett. One could make a case for him at #2 ahead of Cardale, but should a QB of Braxton's caliber be content to ride the pine his senior season? No. Braxton's still not NFL ready (and he missed the deadline), so he needs to transfer. He won't find a program that's a better fit than Urban's spread, but he may be able to develop some new skills that can impress NFL scouts and maybe even chase a title along the way. Oregon would be a good option if he doesn't want to be touched by opposing defenses. Baylor might be a good choice if he really wants to develop his passing game (though I don't think it's really his style). Anyone who saw Sean Maguire stumble his way to a victory against Clemson knows that FSU would love a good QB to replace Jameis Winston, and playing under the coaches who trained the overall #1 draft pick is very tempting. But FSU doesn't really run their QBs either. Perhaps Auburn could use a replacement for Nick Marshall. Perhaps (vomit) Nebraska needs a better version of Tommy Armstrong to start Mike Riley's tenure with a bang. Wisconsin (projectile vomit) is sitting on zero QBs, as always. The possibilities are endless for Braxton if he leaves, very limited if he returns to Columbus.
Seeberg:  The rumors swirling around Braxton Miller's final campaign started well before this season was in the books and they are likely to intensify in the coming weeks.  More often than not, however, the signs have pointed to him returning to Columbus.  Why, you may ask?  It can be pretty successfully argued that both J.T. and Cardale are better passers than Braxton.  All three have capable arms, but J.T. seems to be a bit more accurate on short-to-intermediate throws while Cardale and his I-can-throw-it-through-the-uprights-from-midfield-while-kneeling arm has phenomenal touch on the deep passes, a skill Braxton has yet to master as he often overshoots them.  Despite these observations, Braxton is the incumbent, and, I believe, the favorite of the head man, Saint Urban of Ashtabula.  If he is to return to the 614, it is not without reason as he would be virtually guaranteed the starting job at FSU or Oregon a la Russell Wilson being borrowed by Wiscy for one season.  Publicly, an open competition has been spoken of, but something tells me Braxton has the inside track, and if that's the case, he should return to the 'Shoe.