Urban Meyer has a problem every single one of his peers would like to take off his hands. But, still, it's a problem nonetheless: deciding whether to sit the top-five Heisman Trophy vote-getter, or the guy who led Ohio State through Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon in succession.
Braxton Miller made that decision easier over the offseason by moving from quarterback to H-back, but that still left J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. Both would start at 22 of the remaining Top 25 schools, but only one could start at Ohio State.
Meyer chose Jones - for now - stating he believed the 6-5 Cleveland native's size would add a needed dynamic against Virginia Tech's front.
But Urban, master of mind games, didn't tell his quarterbacks until it was time for one of them to take the field and the other to remain on the sideline. “Honestly we both went out in the huddle with the first play and we didn’t know,” Jones told USA Today. “I took a couple steps to the sideline and (Meyer) was like, ‘Nah you're in.’”
(Nevermind the fact that Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and the rest of the ESPN crew seemed supremely confident Jones would indeed take the first snap before kickoff Monday night.)
Both played Monday night - Jones completed 9-of-18 throws for 186 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while rushing 13 times for 99 yards and another score; Barrett connected on his only throw for a 26-yard touchdown and rushed once for 40 yards. And considering Ohio State's upcoming schedule (Hawaii, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Indiana, Maryland, Penn State, Rutgers, Minnesota and Illinois lay between the Buckeyes and their next serious challenge, Michigan State) each quarterback will have plenty of opportunities to play moving forward.
But there will come a moment - it may not be until the Spartans visit Nov. 21, it may not be until the College Football Playoff, or it may come in a random Big Ten game against an enraged underdog - when it matters who plays at quarterback and who does not.
So while his quarterbacks take turns figuratively dunking on their opponent's goal posts, Meyer must continue observing, weighing and contemplating.
“I’m going to have constant communication with them,” Meyer said. “There might come a time we have to do it. This journey is going to be interesting, and I have to make sure I don’t screw it up.”