Ohio State coach Urban Meyer still confident in QB T.J. Barrett
— -- Ohio State?coach Urban Meyer said Monday that he's concerned about the confidence of J.T. Barrett but remains committed to the veteran quarterback and first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, despite the Buckeyes' inconsistency through two games.
Barrett, a fifth-year senior and three-time team captain, struggled Saturday night in a 31-16 loss to Oklahoma Sooners at Ohio Stadium, throwing for 183 yards and one interception without a touchdown.
"I see a mentally tough guy," Meyer said of Barrett, who is 39-for-70 passing this season for 487 yards. "He's got to play better. We've got to play better. We've got to coach better."
Asked if he'd like to find time for backup QB Dwayne Haskins, Meyer said yes but that "the third quarter [against] Oklahoma is not the right time to do that."
Haskins, a redshirt freshman and former four-star signee rated as the No. 4 pocket-passer QB in the Class of 2016 by ESPN, moved into sole possession of the No. 2 spot when sophomore Joe Burrow suffered a broken bone in his throwing hand last month in practice.
"Right now, it's not even a question," the coach said of Barrett's edge over Haskins.
"The term 'game ready' is used quite often around here," Meyer said. "Is Dwayne game ready to go help us win a game? If we feel he is, then he'll go in the game. That opportunity has not presented itself."
Barrett failed on Saturday to keep pace in the second half with Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, who torched Ohio State by completing all but one pass in the final 30 minutes of clock time to blow open a 3-3 game.
The Ohio State quarterback has twice finished in the top 10 of the Heisman Trophy voting and this year broke the school record for total offense in a career. He is 27-5 as the starting QB at Ohio State.
Barrett's experience and success factors heavily in Meyer's confidence in the QB to rebound soon, the coach said.
As for Wilson, the former Indiana coach who joined the Buckeyes after last season -- which ended with a 31-0 loss to Clemson in a College Football Playoff semifinal -- Meyer said the coordinator has been tasked to enhance and improve the Ohio State offense.
"He's had that opportunity," Meyer said, "and will continue to have that opportunity."
The eighth-ranked Buckeyes host Army on Saturday.
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