Skip to content

Barrett shrugs off fan backlash: QBs won't always be liked

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

J.T. Barrett holds no ill will against fans who clamored for Ohio State to find his replacement at the end of last season.

"At quarterback, you're not always going to be liked," the returning senior told Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch. "When you win, I get the praise and probably don't deserve it. When you lose, I get the blame, which is fine, and I probably didn't deserve that, either."

Barrett ended the 2016 campaign on sourest of notes, failing to register 130 yards passing in any of his final three games. He threw for 86 yards against Michigan State, 124 yards versus Michigan, and then 127 yards in an ugly 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl to end a rough stretch, and the season.

"We just weren't operating at our best," Barrett said of the offense's struggles.

Rather than transferring for his last year, as several fans requested of him on social media, Barrett stayed put while Urban Meyer tweaked his offensive staff. The Buckeyes brought in a new offensive coordinator in Kevin Wilson and a new quarterbacks coach in Ryan Day.

"Coach Wilson is a high-spirited guy," Barrett said. "If you need some juice, you go find coach Wilson and coach Wilson has got some for you. Coach Day played quarterback and has that quarterback feel. He's never riled, always calm. But he also has his outgoing side as well, which is good."

Barrett owns the school record for career touchdowns, but hasn't yet earned a permanent spot in the good graces of Ohio State's enormous fan base. He and the Buckeyes will play at home for the first time in 2017 versus Oklahoma on Sept. 9, following their season-opener on the road at Indiana.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox