How Will Urban Meyer and Ohio State Handle 6 Scholarship Quarterbacks?

COLUMBUS, Ohio — "Everybody has three or four quarterbacks. If you don't, you're struggling. Our three or four happen to play really well. Don't hold that against us."

That was Urban Meyer's message to both Torrance Gibson and Joe Burrow these past few months, as opponents attempted to use Ohio State's loaded quarterback depth chart against the Buckeyes on the recruiting trail.

Before inking the nation's sixth-ranked class on Wednesday, Ohio State was already slated to return a national champion quarterback in Cardale Jones, 2014's third-team AP All-American in J.T. Barrett, a two-time Big Ten MVP in Braxton Miller and last year's lone quarterback signee in Columbus, Stephen Collier.

Immediate playing time? Meyer sure couldn't sell that. But what the Buckeyes head coach could pitch was a track record that spoke for itself, his star-studded depth chart as tangible proof.

Both Gibson and Burrow—each 4-star prospects in their own right—bought in, and as a result, Ohio State now finds itself with six scholarship quarterbacks on its roster for the 2015 season. Meyer's dealt with a crowded cast of prized quarterbacks before—think Tim Tebow, Cam Newton and John Brantley at Florida in 2008—but never one with this many players, or so much uncertainty about where each will fit.

"It will be interesting," new Buckeyes quarterbacks coach Tim Beck admitted on Wednesday. "I'm excited to get a chance to get to know the guys and look forward to seeing really what develops."

Ohio State's depth chart will presumably shrink in 2016, but until then the Buckeyes are set with six QBs, each of whom possesses his own distinct possibilities for both now and the future. So where could each member of Ohio State's sextet of signal-callers wind up?

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Cardale Jones

After leading the Buckeyes to a national championship with consecutive postseason wins over Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, Jones finds himself as the favorite to start for Ohio State—at least according to Las Vegas. After his three stellar starts, the 6'5", 250-pounder passed on the opportunity to enter this year's NFL draft in order to return to Columbus for his junior season.

Jones claims he did so with no guarantee to reclaim his starting spot next season, although spring practice could give him the chance to build an insurmountable lead in the Buckeyes' QB derby. With Barrett and Miller each recovering from injuries, Jones will receive most, if not all of Ohio State's first-team quarterback reps in spring practice, a valuable opportunity for him to continue to ride his momentum from the winter.

"I can get a lot better," Jones said as he announced his return to the Buckeyes. "As each week and each game went on, I think I got a lot better and I progressed. With a full offseason taking reps as a [No.] 1, I think it'll make me be the best quarterback I can possibly be."

That may be the case, but it's also not a lock that even a strong spring would allow Jones to hold off Barrett and/or Miller come fall camp. While both are currently injured, each has a more proven track record than the Cleveland native, who still has only started three games in his college career.

Regardless of if he winds up as the Buckeyes' starter or backup, it's hard to imagine he'll be back at Ohio State in 2016 after coming so close to leaving for the pros after 2014. Meyer acknowledged as much on Wednesday while speaking to the future of his quarterback depth chart.

"Cardale might leave after next year, and Braxton [a senior] is out," Meyer said. "You're down to one, maybe two [quarterbacks]."

Jones will either start for the Buckeyes this season or serve as one of the most reliable backups in the country. After that, it appears his future will be elsewhere.

 

Braxton Miller

A three-year starter who was a preseason Heisman favorite before tearing the labrum in his throwing shoulder last offseason, Miller possesses the most intrigue of the Buckeyes' quarterback bunch. His options are aplenty, but nothing will be known until he's fully rehabbed from his injury.

After that—and it likely won't be until at least the middle of the summer—Miller will decide whether to return to Ohio State as a quarterback, or perhaps another position—or to use his ability as a fifth-year graduate transfer to head to another school.

Beck said on Wednesday he's certain Miller will be back on the OSU roster in 2015, although Meyer has recently admitted he's aware the 2012 and 2013 Big Ten MVP will have a decision to make. “He’s in a unique situation. We’ll cover that later," Meyer said of Miller following the Buckeyes' national championship celebration on Jan. 24.

Without knowing how the rehabilitation of Miller's shoulder will progress—in some cases, a torn labrum can be career-ending for a quarterback—it's nearly impossible to project where he'll wind up. The NFL's supplemental draft could also be a possibility for Miller, as he certainly fits the bill of a player whose circumstances have changed.

Whether he returns to Ohio State or heads elsewhere this summer, Miller won't be on the Buckeyes roster in 2016 with his eligibility having expired. Until then, he'll presumably compete at either quarterback or another position this summer, but of the Buckeyes' six quarterbacks, his status is the most uncertain at the moment

 

J.T. Barrett

Leading Ohio State to an 11-1 regular-season record before fracturing his ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan, Barrett appeared to have a stranglehold on the future of the Buckeyes' quarterback position just two months ago. His injury, however, opened the door for Jones to capture the national title and what is now a three-man race to start at quarterback in Columbus next season.

Barrett's injury will keep him limited—if not completely out—of spring practice, but his prognosis is he'll be full-go by the start of fall camp. The Big Ten's reigning Freshman of the Year, Barrett broke Ohio State's single-season total offense record (3,772) and the conference's total touchdown mark (45) in 2014, despite not playing in a single postseason game.

Of the three players competing for the Buckeyes' starting spot, Barrett appeared to have the best command of Meyer's spread offense. His dual-threat ability as both an efficient passer and runner played a key role in Ohio State's run to the nation title, particularly in its monumental road win over eighth-ranked Michigan State.

Heading into his redshirt sophomore season, it's more than possible Barrett will reclaim his starting spot, but if not, he appears to be all but a lock to start for the Buckeyes in 2016. Should Barrett play well enough this season, he could also be a candidate to enter the 2016 draft, although his size (listed at 6'1", 225 pounds) may not make him an ideal pro prospect.

Barrett will likely play in some capacity in 2015 before fully taking back over the reins at quarterback the following year. A lot can happen between now and the start of the season, but for now, the reigning Big Ten Quarterback of the Year seems to be the surest thing at the position on the OSU roster.

 

Stephen Collier

Outside of Jones, it is Collier who will benefit most from Miller and Barrett's injuries, as he'll see increased reps as the only other healthy quarterback at Ohio State this spring. A year ago, the freshman was an early enrollee just getting his feet wet, but now he'll have plenty of opportunities to work with the Buckeyes second team.

After redshirting last season, Collier likely won't play again this season, although if Miller leaves, he could very well find himself as Ohio State's third-string quarterback. As the Buckeyes learned with Jones last year, that can be a valuable position, and one that's only two plays away from finding itself on the field.

A former 3-star prospect, Collier is the least heralded of the OSU quarterbacks and could face an uphill climb when it comes to his long-term future in Columbus. The 6'3", 220-pounder will continue to serve in a backup capacity before attempting to hold off younger players in a race to replace Barrett down the road.

But if Meyer and former OSU offensive coordinator Tom Herman—who recruited Collier—have proved one thing, it's that they know quarterbacks. Collier could develop into a starting quarterback in the future, he'll just have to hold off some very talented players to do so at Ohio State.

 

Torrance Gibson

Traditionally, it's been Meyer's preference to redshirt quarterbacks, which he did with the first three players at the position he recruited to Ohio State. But he's also proved that if a player is ready and brings something different to the table, he's not afraid to play him right away.

Gibson could very well fit that bill, a 6'4", 204-pound freak who measured in as the nation's sixth-ranked athlete in the 2015 class. Gibson's chief recruiter, OSU wide receivers coach Zach Smith, was adamant the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native's future is as a signal-caller, and said he could see reps as soon as his freshman season.

"Torrance is coming in as a quarterback," Smith said. "If he's a dynamic player we need to get on the field, we may need to have a package for him to get on the field as a freshman. We've done that from Tebow to Cam Newton. We've done that with a number of guys."

Smith did admit Gibson is talented enough to play somewhere else on the field, should another player take long-term hold of Ohio State's quarterback position. But he continued to insist he's being brought to Columbus as a quarterback, which he has the ability to be one of the best of.

"There was a lot of questions about, 'Can he be a quarterback, is he an athlete, can he throw the ball?'" Smith said. "We were kind of confused by the confusion. I watched him throw live in July, I watched him throw live at practice in the spring, I watched him throw live in a game in the fall. And then he goes out to the Army [All-American] Game and they're talking about he's one of the best quarterbacks there. His future is nowhere but the quarterback position."

If that's the case, Gibson could see reps as a package player this season before expanding his role throughout his career. Circumstances can change too and a position switch isn't out of the realm of possibility, but it's a safe bet Gibson will be making an impact for the Buckeyes in one place or another, maybe sooner rather than later.

 

Joe Burrow

Burrow wasn't as highly touted as Gibson, but Meyer recalls his recruitment distinctly. He was in Columbus while Herman was 75 miles southeast in Athens, Ohio, sending Meyer live video of Burrow's workout from his iPhone.

"I remember he sent me a stream into his phone as he's watching this kid throw," Meyer said. "He said, 'I found your next Alex Smith.'"

Smith, of course, is arguably the greatest quarterback Meyer has developed, the leader of Utah's 12-0 team in 2004 who went on to be drafted first overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2005 and is still starting in the NFL. That's certainly a high ceiling for the nation's ninth-ranked dual-threat quarterback, who totaled 4,437 passing yards and 63 touchdowns en route to being named Ohio's Mr. Football in 2014.

Despite his outstanding numbers and high praise from Meyer, Burrow is probably a lock to redshirt this upcoming season as his services simply won't be required. But with Ohio State's status at quarterback in 2016 much less certain than it currently stands, he should have a chance to insert himself into the starting lineup within the next three years.

"I'm ready to compete," Burrow said at his signing day ceremony. "I'll be ready to compete for the starting job in a couple years. I'm very confident in my abilities."

After presumably sitting out this season, Burrow should be fighting for the top backup role in 2016 and the starting spot not shortly thereafter. The son of Ohio University defensive coordinator Jimmy Burrow, Joe isn't fazed by the Buckeyes' loaded depth chart and is embracing the opportunity ahead of him.

"I'm going to work like crazy alongside the guys who are already there," Burrow said. "I'm ready to compete and I'll be a better football player coming out of it."

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Ohio State Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.