Ohio State will go into the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday night on its third starting quarterback of the year. And what if something happens to Cardale Jones and the Buckeyes need a fourth? Head coach Urban Meyer told reporters Wednesday night Stephen Collier is "on call" while Jalin Marshall would also be an option.
Collier is a true freshman from Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County. A three-star prospect, the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has not played this season as the staff planned to redshirt him.
Marshall was the top-rated recruit in Ohio two years ago at Middletown High School, where he played quarterback but was rated the nation's No. 6 wide receiver. He redshirted last year at least in part because of injury but has enjoyed a breakout 2014 season as a receiver and return man. Marshall has also taken snaps as a Wildcat quarterback at times and has 129 yards rushing on 19 carries. He has thrown one pass, and it was incomplete. Marshall is third on the team in receiving yards with 356 and has caught 26 passes, including six touchdowns. He has also scored on a punt return and averages 14.1 yards per attempt.
Jones is set to start Saturday night because of an injury to J.T. Barrett last week in the Michigan game. Barrett, who became the starter less than two weeks before the season opener because of a shoulder injury to two-time Big Ten MVP Braxton Miller, spoke to reporters Wednesday for the first time since he suffered a fractured right ankle.
"I honestly feel like if I wasn't starting this year, Cardale would have done the same things this year," said Barrett, who was named the Big Ten's quarterback and freshman of the year after breaking single-season school records for total yards and touchdown passes as well as the Big Ten record for touchdowns accounted for. "Cardale is that talented. He definitely can do it. When it comes closer to the game, I'll have him some encouragement and we'll go over some things. I'm very confident in him."
