Ohio State’s riches at the quarterback position explain why the Big Ten has a reigning national champion in college football for the first time in 12 years.
This is an era of spread offenses gone wild. Last year was the third highest-scoring season ever, with teams averaging 29.3 points a game, just below the record of 29.5 set in 2012.
It’s no coincidence that a quarterback has won the past five Heisman Trophies and 13 of the past 15 after having earned the honor only seven times from 1972 to ’99.
“You’ve got to have a guy at the quarterback position,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said, “who is able to take a bad play and make it a good play, whether it’s through decision-making — getting you into the right play — or with his feet or arm.