Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/587739
O c T O B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . c O m 12 COLUMBUS, Ohio – Penn State pre- pared for two quarterbacks all week at practice, but when it came down to it, only one made the difference in Ohio State's 38-10 win Saturday night in Ohio Stadium. Cardale Jones, who has twice been named Ohio State's starter this season, opened the game, but for the most part the Nittany Lions held him in check. In the first half, for example, Jones had thrown for just 59 yards and was held to minus-3 in rushing. Penn State cornerback Grant Haley said he and his defensive teammates went into the game expecting Ohio State to pass the ball it more than it did, which is Jones' strength, but the Buckeyes weren't able to consistently find success through the air, finishing with a total of only 114 passing yards. In the end, though, that meant little toward the outcome. A?er two quarters of Jones struggling, Ohio State finally made a change. A?er beginning the game as a red-zone quar- terback, J.T. Barrett came in and, as he said, found his rhythm as the Buckeyes' primary signal caller. "I felt good," Barrett said. "I thought I found it early. Running the ball helps me get in a rhythm." And it forced the Nittany Lions out of theirs. Referring to Barrett as "a shi?y guy" who is "a great runner" and "very elu- sive," Haley said Barrett "brought a dif- ferent element to the game." "Definitely," he said. "He brought more speed. We needed to contain more. They didn't come out throwing as much as we thought they would, so that was some- thing that was a change." A?er rushing just three times for 30 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, Barrett finished with 102 total yards on the ground, including a 27-yard long. The change of pace proved to be too much for the Nittany Lions' defense. "I think he's a great runner, very elu- sive, so it's hard," Haley said. "You really have to take a shot at him, really have to wrap him, because he breaks tackles as well." T I M O W E N | O W E N . T I m . B W I @ G m A I L . c O m BARRETT SHINES FOR BUCKEYES Backup quarterback sparks Ohio State offense in second quarter