It’s been 11 years since Cardale Jones led Ohio State to a national championship, but he’s still that same clutch quarterback who loves the scarlet and gray.
He showed that on Thursday during a sold-out live edition of the “Joel Klatt Show” on the Ohio State campus in Columbus. Jones launched a pass to a fan and wasted no time trash-talking Michigan.
When Jones was a sophomore in 2014, he was thrust into a difficult position. The Buckeyes’ original starting quarterback, Braxton Miller, tore his labrum during a preseason practice. Backup J.T. Barrett stepped in and led the team to a 10-1 record. But, in the final regular-season game, Barrett fractured his ankle, leaving Jones as the only healthy quarterback on the roster.
Jones took the reins and led the Buckeyes to the first National Championship in the College Football Playoff era.
“It’s something they can’t take away from me,” Jones said.
Then, in true Buckeye fashion, he joked: “I would say championships should never be taken away, but I saw a Michigan fan here earlier and that should be taken away.”
Jones clearly didn’t think the NCAA’s punishment for Michigan’s sign-stealing saga was harsh enough. No former Ohio State player would.
Jones’ appearance on Thursday was full of memorable moments and laughter, but the highlight came when he threw a pass to a fan. It was part of a planned segment: if the fan caught the pass, they would win tickets to Ohio State’s game against Texas on Saturday.
The first fan Jones and FOX Sports college football reporter Jenny Taft picked was unable to haul in the pass. But the second fan made a highlight play. She initially bobbled the ball, and it slipped backwards, but just before it hit the ground, she made an all-out effort and corralled it.
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