Fake Transfer Prank Reminds Us Why Cardale Jones Is the Superstar CFB Needs

At 2:24 p.m. Eastern on an unassuming Friday during the college football offseason, the city of Columbus, Ohio, collectively stopped consuming oxygen. The people of this great football town hugged loved ones in despair. They frantically made phone calls and sent text messages seeking out answers and guidance. 

National championship hero-quarterback Cardale Jones announced he was leaving the program through his Twitter account:

"

It was a rough decision but I think it's best for me, like to thank OSU for this amazing opportunity but my time here has came to an end 😔

— Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) May 1, 2015"

His destination? Akron.

Yes, that Akron. Jones changed his Twitter avatar and background and offered up the following confirmation (as if it were necessary). Christmas came early for Akron head coach Terry Bowden.

As for Ohio State’s quarterback quandary? Well, consider it a bit more solved.

"

#ZipNation

— Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) May 1, 2015"

The most significant piece of news of the college football offseason entered our world without an invitation, knocking our football senses off their axis with a pickup-sized cinder block.

And then, eight minutes later, as my editor reached out in a panic and colleagues began lighting fires through Google Chat, the madness subsided. The frenzy ripped through our world like a tremendous twister and left without a trace of destruction, and it was hilarious:

"

MAY FOOLS 😂

— Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) May 1, 2015"

May Fools.

I repeat: May Fools.

The Twitter avatar and background returned to normal—to a picture of Jones kissing the sport’s magnificent trophy in his championship uniform. The collective blood pressure of Columbus residents began to inch back down to normal. Tears of sadness were washed away with tears of happiness.

A young man dealing with such incredible pressure and expectations had the chops to pull off the hoax of the offseason. And like his brief on-field performance, he executed it brilliantly.

To the surprise of no one, some people got mad. Of course they did. People always get mad these days, especially when it involves social media.

For those of you who were upset that a student athlete successfully took you on an abbreviated—and completely harmless—emotional roller coaster, please exit immediately and find another sport.

This one will do you no good, not if you can’t appreciate the strange, twisted beauty in all of this. Tip your cap and move on.

If you can’t find fun in a young man having fun—especially given the way negative headlines are packaged and delivered with regularity in football—there’s no helping you. Quite frankly, I needed a good jolt heading into the weekend, and this sufficed quite nicely.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

In less than five months, the star quarterback for the nation’s best team has talked smack while beating 16 year-old Jared Foley, 98-35, in a football video game while he was recovering from heart surgery; held a surprise press conference to announce he would not enter the draft; staged a fake transfer on Twitter, and thrown a football 74 yards in a QB contest before declaring, "my arm was kind of tired, probably can throw it a little further."

This face of college football—as unexpected as that may still seem—enjoys fun. He’s good at creating it and having it. He knows precisely how to walk the line, knows how to push the appropriate buttons when he feels they should be pushed. He has been a welcomed breath of fresh air since he crashed through our family room walls late last year.

And yes, he got us good. There’s no other way to put it. Jones has a perfectly good understanding of his own power and how he’s able to twirl us around on his finger—even if only for eight minutes.

Good for him. Good for Ohio State. Good for college football. Good for fun.

Sometimes we take this whole college football thing way too seriously, and often times we are reminded of the sport’s emotional, playful origins. Jones has repeatedly (and creatively) tapped in to those, which is exactly why I’m thrilled that we’re talking about his fake transfer to another Ohio school and not his status and potential landing spots in the NFL draft.

More Cardale Jones, please.

Adam Kramer is the College Football National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Unless noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.