What to Make of Burrow's Transfer and What Now?

What to Make of Burrow’s Transfer and What Now?

When Urban Meyer accepted Joe Burrow’s commitment in the spring of 2014, I had little doubt that Burrow had the skills to play quarterback at Ohio St.  Not because I know anything about evaluating high school talent, but because Urban knows a thing or two about selecting the best of the best. 

4 years later, I still have little doubt that Joe Burrow can play QB at Ohio St. And I’m sure the coaches concur. So, did the coaches make the right move here or should they have done everything in their power to keep Joe Burrow on this roster? That’s the million-dollar question.

After signing Burrow in 2014, Ohio St signed another good QB in the following recruiting class. Strange how Ohio St does that, huh? And like Burrow, Dwayne Haskins didn’t come to Columbus to ride pine. Following JT Barrett’s departure after the ‘17 season, something had to give in the spring of ‘18.  

In mid August of last year, I really thought Joe Burrow would be that guy to replace JT in ‘18. But his hand injury changed things. I still thought Burrow would eventually assert himself as the heir to OSU’s QB throne, but the Michigan game made me think otherwise. Haskins had steel nerves and made plays on the biggest stage there is the very first time that he had ever stepped onto that stage.

But Joe Burrow wasn’t going out without a fight, and I responded to Colin’s pre-Spring game questions telling him not to write-off Joe Burrow just yet. Then Burrow probably outplayed Haskins in the spring game. Still, there were other signs that seemed to point to this being Dwayne Haskins’ team.

Burrow looked great throwing the ball…he always does. But more often than not, Burrow was by himself on the bench when the camera zeroed in on him. Maybe I’m overanalyzing, but the opposite was the case with Haskins, who was involved with seemingly everybody on the sidelines. 

After the scrimmage, Burrow did get props from Nick Bosa after his long TD throw to end the game. But still, when the players sang Carmen Ohio afterward, it was Haskins next to Urban in the front row, while Burrow was in the third row of players. 

In the post-game interview, it was not the Dwayne Haskins that was often grinning from ear to ear in 2017; he was all business. I thought the kid displayed a bit of cockiness….the kind of cockiness you want in your quarterback.

Again, maybe the “this being Dwayne’s team” feeling was reading way too much into this, and the 29 additional practices in August that have yet to occur would have ultimately decided this QB thing. But I don’t think so. 

Joe Burrow is pretty damn good, but I think Haskins’ is probably better and has a higher ceiling. With Haskins’ cannon for an arm, his game in Ann Arbor last November, and him appearing to fill a leadership void, I think Haskins had to get the first shot in ’18 ahead of Burrow.

It would surely be nice to have Joe Burrow stepping in this season if Haskins went down or didn’t cut the mustard after all. But despite being arguably the best coach in college football, these QB controversies appear to be Urban’s kryptonite.  

The situation with having the 3 high-profile QBs in 2015 was not handled well, to say the least. Fast-forward to the 2018 spring game – Burrow and Haskins rotate at  QB….on the same drives…on every drive. After the game, Haskins tolds reporters that this wasn’t just a spring game deal….that this rotation on the same drive was the way it was done throughout spring practice. I mean….really? That doesn’t sound like 2015 all over again….it sounds worse….it sounds ridiculous. 

Again, it’s pretty clear Joe Burrow can play quarterback at Ohio State…that’s never been the question. But there’s a good chance that Burrow’s transfer may translate into a better things for Joe, Dwayne, Urban and this 2018 Ohio State team.

If Burrow becomes a star at his next school, that wouldn’t shock me at all. I hope it happens. But this won’t be the last Buckeye QB to transfer knowing he will be appreciated more elsewhere. It is what it is in big time college football today, and having depth at QB will continue get less and less common.

--Brent Baver

The Spring Game, the QBs and “If you were Urban…” - Baver Answers Colin’s Questions

Follow @baverbuckeyebag and listen for him on the CD1025 Morning Show with Brian Phillips.

Colin: Do spring games tell you anything? I mean, if they did…wouldn’t Bam Childress have ended up with a couple of Heismans?

Baver: Indeed…..ha. You don’t get much from these things. The halftime races and QB throwing contests they have now are often more entertaining than the actual scrimmages. But I do like to see the freshmen that arrived early and those frosh that redshirted the prior year, at least to see what they bring to the table athletically. And it’s nice to see the Buckeye QBs in scrimmage action, especially if they haven’t played much. And to be honest, I think that watching Bam Childress go off once a year in April was actually pretty cool.

Colin: If you were Urban, would you tell Ohio boy Joe Burrow he has no shot and have him transfer or lead him on as insurance?

Baver: I really don’t think that’s the case….that Burrow has no shot. I think Burrow was likely your #2 guy before his hand injury last August. But Haskins held his own in mop time, and more than held his own leading OSU to the comeback win in Ann Arbor. And there are whispers that Haskins has the backing of the rest of the team more so than Burrow. So I agree Haskins has the leg up, but Burrow is the more accurate of the two, and will do more with his legs than Haskins will. But to try to answer your question, I don’t think anyone outside of the coaches’ room will know of Urban’s pecking order at QB anytime soon. If Burrow transfers, he may end up at Nebraska or even worse, heading 4 hours north of us to play, and playing immediately. UM would be a longer shot with them likely getting a waiver for Shea Patterson to play this fall, but it’s not out of the question….and Urban is well aware of that.

Colin: How does Tate Martell play into the QB equation?

Baver: I see almost no way Meyer names Tate Martell the #1 guy, as he risks having Burrow and Haskins both transfer. They can probably satisfy Tate by promising him legit playing time, and in packages with Haskins or Burrow on the field with him at the same time. I do struggle seeing Tate as a true #1 QB at OSU at any point in his career. He is much smaller than two other guys he is being compared with – Johnny Football and Baker Mayfield. But Tate appears to be a gamer and a guy that can cause college defenses a lot of problems if you utilize him the right way. The kid is going to see quite a few snaps this fall, and not just playing the mop-up roll.

Colin: Seems like a lot of question marks on this team…at least for a team you expect to win 11+ games every year. What’s your gut telling you about this ’18 team?

Baver: Urban has had the Buckeyes, at a minimum, on the playoff bubble each of the four years the CFP has been around. I fully expect them to be there again.  With the last two recruiting classes, Urban and co. are on the verge of stockpiling talent at every position the way Bama has done it for years. I haven’t said that in the past, as I always considered Bama a clear cut above the rest in talent level (and everything else for that matter). But you are right, there are a lot of questions. Replacing both OTs and a Remington Award winning center is rough. Tons of talent at linebacker, but not sure who will be manning any of the three specific LB positions come September. There was a clear drop-off after Denzel Ward at corner last year, and now he’s gone. Again, plenty of talent there but no proven star, and no tutelage from Kerry Coombs anymore. Still, Ohio St will be fine at QB and WR, and are loaded at running back. They also, of course, have another elite D-line. This team should go 10-2 or 11-1, and maybe make another legit run

What OSU Players May Leave Early? Baver Answers Colin's Questions

Colin: What are your thoughts on the CFP final four? Did they get it right?

Baver: I don’t have a huge beef with it. Would Bama have gotten the nod if they weren’t Alabama”? Probably not. Did Ohio State deserve the nod over Bama for the last spot? You can certainly make a decent case for it. But when you lose by 31 pts to unranked Iowa, you made your own bed. The thing I hate the most is the “choosing the BEST team” argument. If you take that argument literally, Bama is in the playoff every year, and is your #1 seed in that playoff every year. Hell, a 9-3 Bama team would still get in, while a 12-1 Wisconsin team with a similar strength of schedule would not. It’s complete hogwash that this is a so-called focus point of the committee.

Colin: Did JT's performance in the Big Ten title game hurt the Buckeyes chances to leap frog Alabama?

Baver: I think OSU winning by less than a TD did indeed hurt them, and JT certainly wasn’t himself against Wisconsin. His ability to move laterally was diminished big time, and I am not sure he throws those picks if he were healthy. The Iowa game aside, JT does not throw many picks. The guy is a warrior and deserves major praise for playing 6 days after surgery. I didn’t think he could pull it off.

Colin: Was this Buckeye team, with JT starting capable of winning a rematch with Clemson and how damaging would another bad loss be to the 2018 Buckeye chances of getting into the CFB?

Baver: I honestly think they could have beaten any of the other three teams, had OSU edged Bama for the last spot. Ohio St could have also lost to any of the three. And a healthy JT woud have been OSU’s best option to beat Clemson, Georgia or Oklahoma. You would have gotten a much better showing out of Ohio St if they had a playoff rematch with Clemson. As for part two of your question….no doubt about it. The committee had Clemson’s 31-0 beat down of the Buckeyes last year in the back of their mind, when they chose Bama over Ohio St.

Colin: There is now an early signing period starting on DEC 20th. How does this affect OSU and what do we need to know about the upcoming class?

Baver: Ohio State currently has 17 verbal commitments. Here is the breakdown: 9 recruits have said they “will” sign early; 3 say they will “likely” sign early; 3 are undecided; and 2 say they will sign in February. There isn’t a lot of shakeout from this new rule with OSU’s class or any other big program’s class…at lease not yet. It will be interesting to see what happens with those who don’t sign early.

As for this OSU class, it’s the top rated class in the nation right now. Urban and his crew have been machines on the recruiting trail the past two years, more so than before when their recruiting was “merely” elite. They may lose 4-star QB prospect Emory Jones. But the verbal commitment the Bucks just got from 3-star QB Matthew Baldwin would ease that loss a bit. Baldwin looks like a major diamond in the rough, and might end up being a better college QB than Emory Jones.

Colin: On a similar note, what Buckeye players should leave early for the draft and/or possibly sit out the Cotton Bowl to avoid one final risk of injury before finally getting paid to put their bodies on the line? 

Baver: It appears no one is sitting out the Cotton Bowl. Someone told me that game is meaningless. Tell John Cooper that (most) bowl games are meaningless, and he’ll probably be on the phone to Andy Geiger shortly thereafter. Sitting out bowl games is a double-edged sword, in my opinion. But leaving after your 3rd year is usually an NFL prospect’s best choice. Eight OSU guys might forego their 4th year: Weber, Campbell, Dixon, Prince, Dre’Mont Jones, Hubbard, Baker, and Ward. Hubbard and Ward are almost certainly out the door. Dre’Mont is likely gone too. I’d put the over/under at 5, in terms of the # of Buckeyes leaving with eligibility left on the table. Maybe I stay one more year if I’m Isaiah Prince. If I am any of the other 7 guys, I’d probably be leaning toward leaving.