FOOTBALL
When No. 8 MSU (7-1 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) started the season, they thought when they played No. 13 Ohio State (7-1 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) it would be for the east division championship, and they would have to go through sophomore sensation quarterback Braxton Miller.
Miller went down with an injury before the season, but according to junior linebacker Taiwan Jones, freshman starter J.T. Barrett may present a larger problem than Miller.
“I feel like with this offense, Barrett works better in this offense,” Jones said. “I feel like he has a better arm, he’s a way better quarterback than Braxton.”
Barrett has thrown for 1,856 yards with 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. Jones said the offense under Barrett is not very different schematically with Barrett running it.
“They tried to make it a little simpler for Barrett at the beginning, but he’s picking it up a lot more now,” he said. “Guys had to step up, so it’s a little different but it’s the same thing we’ve been seeing the last three years we’ve been playing them.”
Jones said while Miller is the more mobile quarterback, Barrett fits OSU head coach Urban Meyer’s offense like Tim Tebow did when Meyer was down at Florida.
“As an athlete I feel like Miller was better,” he said. “But to fit in that offense I think he fits like Tebow did in Florida. He controls the game better.”
