Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer did not hold back when speaking about quarterback J.T. Barrett following Saturday's 58-0 win against Rutgers.
"I'm an Ohio State fan so I know all the great quarterbacks at Ohio State, all the great players," Meyer said. "And to see J.T. Barrett throw [59] touchdowns in 21 starts, average almost three touchdowns per game, that's just an incredible feat when you consider the school that he broke it at."
What Barrett broke in Saturday's win over the Scarlet Knights was Bobby Hoying's career record for touchdown passes. Hoying had 57 touchdown tosses during his career in the scarlet and gray; Barrett currently has 59 and a lot more football to play.
But, truth be told, it was just the latest record to fall in what's suddenly becoming a long list for the Buckeyes' redshirt junior signal caller. And, there's potential for one more mark to be matched or broken Saturday when Indiana comes to town.
As things stand right now, Barrett is only four touchdowns away from tying Braxton Miller's record for touchdowns responsible for. Barrett currently has 84 career touchdowns — both throwing and rushing — while Miller's record is 88. Four for Barrett against the Hoosiers and he ties Miller's record; five for the Wichita Falls, Texas native and he will stand alone — again — in the Ohio State record books.
"It's crazy because Braxton, I saw him play and all the things he's done for this university and the great things he's done for our program," Barrett said Monday. "It's crazy to even think about it."
Both Meyer and Barrett said they were unaware the quarterback was on the verge of breaking Hoying's record going into Saturday's game. With Miller's feat in sight, it's hard to ignore such hype.
"When you start thinking about the great history of this university and he can be No. 1, that's incredible," Meyer said.
Through the first four games of this season, Barrett has 888 passing yards and is completing 68.6 percent of his passes. The redshirt junior has 14 touchdown passes against only two interceptions. Additionally, he has gained 205 yards on the ground with three rushing touchdowns.
So far, it is reminiscent of the Barrett we saw during Ohio State's 2014 season when he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a redshirt freshman. Barrett broke plenty of records that season, including Drew Brees' longstanding record of 42 total touchdowns. Barrett had 45 in 2014 before getting injured in the regular-season finale.
But when Barrett signed to play for Ohio State, he said he didn't exactly think about becoming a record-breaking quarterback.
“It’s just crazy to think about sometimes because when people achieve and have these records they, a lot of times, don’t think about them going into it," Barrett said. "With me, I’m not gonna go out there and be like ‘I’m going to try and beat Braxton’s record.’"
"When I first started playing, my freshman year, I wasn’t trying to say I’m going to get 45 touchdowns and beat Drew Brees’ record. That wasn’t a conversation I had with myself. I just try to go out there and be the best I can for my team and I think preparing as hard as I can and going out there and playing as hard as I can."
But whether he thinks about it or not, Barrett's assault on the Ohio State record books will continue. And he'll eventually break Miller's total touchdowns record along the way.
We'll have to wait and see if that hapens Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
