ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett's contribution to Ohio State's national championship, at least on the field, ended against Michigan when he fractured his ankle Nov. 29. But as all his teammates celebrated in the Buckeyes locker room with blaring music and dancing, Barrett sat in his locker just a few feet from the scooter that allows him to keep weight off his injury.
And celebrated the best he could.
"No bitterness," he said. "I'm not bitter at all. I feel great. I'm really happy. I didn't win a state championship in high school. I won a national championship here at Ohio State -- that's why I came here. If I hadn't come to Ohio State, I would have been on a couch somewhere watching the national championship. If anybody is bitter, that's silly. No mixed feelings at all -- none. Sweet. All of it's sweet. Sweet like candy."
Third-string quarterback Cardale Jones delivered a 3-0 postseason as a starter following Barrett's injury to win the national title. Barrett, of course, became the starter when Heisman Trophy candidate Braxton Miller suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in August. Like coach Urban Meyer, Barrett said he expects Miller to return to Ohio State despite rumors of a pending transfer.
Potentially, three accomplished quarterbacks could vie for the starting job in spring drills. While it was Jones who got to play on the three biggest stages of the Buckeyes' season, it was Barrett who carried Ohio State to the 11-1 regular season that made Jones' big stages possible. It was Barrett who fired 34 touchdown passes and rushed for 11 more scores in averaging nearly four touchdowns per game.
But for Barrett, he didn't need to be on the field against Oregon to feel like he owned his piece of the national title.
"When Braxton went down, the goal didn't change," Barrett said. "Outside people like ESPN might have been saying we shouldn't be able to do this. But we knew we could do whatever we put our minds to. We had the talent to do that, we had the coach to do that."
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