Ohio State Football: No problem with sophomore QB leading the Buckeyes
Some think the Ohio State football team may struggle this season with a sophomore quarterback running the show but that hasn’t been the case in the past.
One of the reasons some don’t think Ohio State will make the College Football Playoff this year is because they are being led by a sophomore quarterback. I don’t know why that’s the case because 2nd year quarterbacks have led the Buckeyes to national titles and just missed on a couple of others the last 51 years.
In an era when freshman weren’t eligible, only those close to the program knew much about Rex Kern when the 1968 season began. The sophomore QB led Ohio State to an undefeated season and a trip to the Rose Bowl to play USC for the National Championship.
The Buckeyes won 27-16 and Kern was named the game’s MVP.
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Five years later sophomore quarterback Cornelius Greene led the team to a 10-0-1 record and only the 10-10 tie with Michigan kept Ohio State from winning another title.
At the end of the decade sophomore QB Art Schlichter had a terrific sophomore season leading Ohio State to an undefeated season and a trip to the Rose Bowl against USC for the national title. Unfortunately the Buckeyes came up a point short losing 17-16.
Now fast forward to the 21st century and it was another young QB who led Ohio State to a miraculous season. J.T. Barrett was a redshirt freshman, but in a previous era would have been a sophomore so I’ll include him.
After Barrett was injured during “The Game” Cardale Jones stepped up and became a star in the postseason. But if it wasn’t for Barrett’s performance during the regular season the Buckeyes wouldn’t have been in a position to win the first College Football Playoff.
So don’t be concerned about Justin Fields running the Ohio State offense, that may be a good thing. Sophomore quarterbacks have led the Buckeyes to outstanding seasons in the past.
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Also, don’t worry about the Buckeyes having a young QB and a new head coach. Remember, it was Earle Bruce’s first year at the helm when Art Schlichter was a sophomore.