Spring Quarterback Battles
– Alabama | Auburn | LSU | Notre Dame | Texas

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What we know: Cardale Jones had a good spring and it’s his starting quarterback job for the taking.

What we’re not quite sure of: Cardale’s 19-of-42, 304-yard, two touchdown, two pick performance in front of close to 100,000 fans at the spring game. It’s a spring football game so it’s really not that big a deal, but he wasn’t razor-sharp.

What we know: Jones has one of the best arms in college football since JaMarcus Russell. He was allowed to turn it loose in the spring game with a few terrific deep balls.

What we’re not quite sure of: Will he ever get the time to throw a 75-yard pass?

What we know: Jones was the starting quarterback for a national champion.

What we’re not quite sure of: Whether or not the Buckeyes would’ve won it all with J.T. Barrett or Braxton Miller under center. The loss of Barrett against Michigan seemed to be a key rallying point for the team, but …

What we know: Ohio State took things up ten notches with Jones at quarterback.

What we’re not quite sure of: Whether or not that was because Jones was the starting quarterback and if that, along with a good spring, is enough to end the debate.

What we know: Ohio State would probably be everyone’s preseason No. 1 team if you were the starting quarterback.

What we’re not quite sure of: Whether or not you really might have to step in and start if something happens to Jones because …

What we know: Jones is healthy.

What we’re not quite sure of: If Barrett or Miller will be full-throttle, 100% again by the start of the season, even if their respective injuries heal as well as expected.

What we know: Jones didn’t turn pro early. If he had, he almost certainly would’ve been no worse than the third quarterback taken in this year’s draft and he might have been a top ten overall pick on tools and upside alone.

What we’re not quite sure of: Jones might be the No. 1 overall pick with another year of seasoning, while Barrett could turn into a fringe NFL quarterback prospect and Miller isn’t a pro QB.

What we know: Urban Meyer’s track record of coaching starting college quarterbacks is as impressive as any resume in the history of college football.

What we’re not quite sure of: What he needs to see out of Miller or Barrett.

What we know: Jones is going to have to really screw up this summer to not be the far-and-away No. 1 option.

The pecking order as of the immediate moment: 1) Cardale Jones, 2a) J.T. Barrett, 2b) Braxton Miller