fter this year’s college football playoff will tell you, ESPN focused an insane amount of time evaluating the Ohio State quarterback situation. For those who do not know, The Ohio State University has three elite quarterbacks. The most experienced of the three is Braxton Miller, a senior who has started the previous three seasons as quarterback for the Buckeyes, scoring eighty four total touchdowns with an overall Quarterback Rating (QBR) of 149.6 (which is incredible). The middle QB and presumed starter for next season is JT Barrett, who started last season after Braxton Miller suffered a serious shoulder injury before the season’s first game.

According to Ohio State’s athletic website, Barrett is a mobile, dual threat quarterback who can run the ball as well as he can throw it. Barrett is arguably the most accurate of the three quarterbacks, leading the buckeyes to a 11-1 start. During Barrett’s twelve starts, he scored forty-five total touchdowns and finished with an overall QBR rating of 169.8. Unfortunately during a 42-28 victory over the Michigan Wolverines Barrett broke his ankle, giving third-string quarterback Cardale Jones the chance to prove his worth to the Ohio State football program.

The 6’5, 250 pound sophomore is by far the most physically dominant of the three quarterbacks, regularly plowing his way over defenders from Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon. Jones proved he could perform under pressure, going 3-0 in his first career starts in the biggest games of the year, the Big Ten Championship, the Sugar Bowl, and the College Football Playoff National Championship (According to ESPN’s website).

Incredibly, all three quarterbacks are (as of February 4th) staying at Ohio State next season. This presents OSU coach Urban Meyer with a wealth of options when it comes to the Ohio state offense for this season. While it is presumed JT Barrett will start at quarterback next season, nothing is set in stone. If I was Urban Meyer, I would simply switch which QB will act as the starter for each game. If Meyer was to pursue this option, Big Ten defenses would have a very hard time adjusting to the very different playing styles of the three quarterbacks.

Another option speculated by College Football Talk (NBC Sports) revolves around the potential for the dynamic Braxton Miller to forego playing quarterback altogether and instead move to the slot receiver position. Given his intimate knowledge of defensive pass coverage schemes that he developed from his time playing quarterback, he would easily be able to pick holes in Big Ten defenses. Miller’s speed and knowledge of pass coverages combined with JT Barrett’s throwing accuracy could potentially create the formula to help the Buckeyes return to the National Championship next season.

However Urban Meyer chooses to utilize the three elite quarterbacks currently at The Ohio State University, there is no denying that he is a lucky man. The combination of speed, size and intelligence present in all three quarterbacks will certainly help Meyer and the Buckeyes make a return trip to the National Championship game a year from now.