Ohio State Football: Breaking Down J.T. Barrett's Breakout Game vs. Kent State

J.T. Barrett was just seven days removed from an embarrassing and inefficient performance against Virginia Tech when he bounced back and etched his name in Ohio State's history book.

It was a quick turnaround for the redshirt freshman, who was harassed and overwhelmed by a stingy Hokies defense. Barrett connected on just nine of his 29 passes against Virginia Tech, throwing three interceptions while being sacked seven times.

But the young signal-caller showcased a short memory in his brilliant performance against Kent State. Much of that is a result of the Golden Flashes defense, which was overmatched greatly by the Buckeyes at every level. But Barrett, making his third collegiate start, did something that Terrelle Pryor, Braxton Miller or even Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith never accomplished.

Here's a breakdown of Barrett's record-tying day against Kent State.

Productive, Accurate and Efficient 

Credit: David Regimbal

Barrett dissected the Golden Flashes defense, completing 23 of 30 passes for 312 yards and six touchdowns. His lone blemish of the day, a first-quarter interception near Kent State's goal line, happened when a perfectly placed pass bounced off Michael Thomas' chest and directly into the hands of a defender.

Barrett's six touchdown passes tied Ohio State's single-game record, which was set last year by Kenny Guiton against Florida A&M. He accomplished this in about 35 minutes of game action, as Meyer pulled most of the starters midway through the third quarter.

Of course, padding stats against an undersized and inferior opponent should be expected, not newsworthy. 

The growth Barrett showcased last Saturday, however, is a big development. 

Schematics, Reads and Execution

Virginia Tech was able to shut down Ohio State's offense with a unique defensive look that featured a Bear front and a Cover 0 scheme in the back end. The Buckeyes offensive line struggled to block the pass-rushers, and the receivers failed to make plays. 

With Virginia Tech's success, it was safe to surmise that future Ohio State opponents would adopt the same strategy.

It only took a week for that to come true as Kent State started the game in Virginia Tech's defensive formation. But the Buckeyes had seen it, and over the course of the week, the coaching staff had figured out ways to beat it.

Unprepared against the Hokies, Ohio State launched dozens of deep balls in the hopes that its receivers would make a play. A week later, they drew up plays like this one to take advantage of the aggressive defense.

Credit: David Regimbal

Here's the front that Ohio State had so much trouble with against the Hokies. With a defensive tackle lined up directly over the center and four other pass-rushers, each offensive lineman had a body to block. 

This presents one-on-one matchups for the receivers. But instead of looking deep, the Buckeyes created action at the line of scrimmage.

Credit: David Regimbal

The two receivers at the top of the screen are running routes to get one man open. The corner playing press coverage should be covering Michael Thomas, but a rub route from Jalin Marshall—who bumps the defender—gives Thomas the space he needs.

Barrett found Thomas over the middle, who waltzed easily into the end zone for a 14-yard score.

That was the first of Barrett's six touchdown passes. Throughout the afternoon, Ohio State's offensive line had no trouble blocking Kent State's defensive front. With that time, Barrett showed that he could read the field and be a devastatingly effective quarterback.

And that will be the key for Ohio State moving forward. If Ohio State's revamped offensive line can come together and protect the quarterback—and the coaching staff continues to enhance the playbook—Barrett could lead the Buckeyes to a special season. 

All stats via OhioStateBuckeyes.com. 

David Regimbal covers Ohio State football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.