COLUMBUS, Ohio -- J.T. Barrett's trusty sidekick has been missing for a while now, but the Ohio State quarterback isn’t shedding any tears.
About to approach the two-year anniversary of a trip to the College Football Playoff that required a scooter to navigate around the streets of New Orleans, the sideline in Dallas and the awards circuit after the season, Barrett isn’t entirely certain what happened to his old, four-wheeled friend.
And despite the good times they shared, Barrett also doesn’t really care since the absence means both of his legs are healthy enough to actually let him play in a semifinal game this time around as the No. 3 Buckeyes prepare for No. 2 Clemson in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
“It was a love-hate type of relationship,” Barrett joked at Ohio State’s media day. “I loved it because I wasn’t crutching it. Especially when we were down in New Orleans, that was awful -- or I figured it would be awful if I was crutching it because we were moving a lot.
“Then I hated it because like so people would get on it and be like, ‘Man, J.T., you must be having a lot of fun.’ And I was like ‘My brother, I can’t walk. After you’re finished with it, you go and walk to where you want to go, and I’ve got to get on and scoot again.’”
But the scooter did keep him plenty mobile during the postseason run to the title two years ago, and both Barrett and the Buckeyes were thankful for that as he continued to offer his leadership, add input from the bench and lend a helping hand as Cardale Jones replaced him in the lineup.
Ohio State coaches and teammates are always quick to point to the positive impact Barrett had as he did whatever he could to stay involved after sustaining a fractured ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan. But there’s an obvious difference between what he was able to do on a scooter and what the Buckeyes will need from their healthy star quarterback this month, starting by simply stepping on the field.
“Now I’m at the point where I’m getting myself together as far as preparing for the game mentally, physically, making sure I’m on top of my game to play my best,” Barrett said. “At that time it was more what can I do to help Cardale get ready for the games we have ahead and also just help the offensive team in general.
“It was just that one scooter, though, and we had some trips. We were down in New Orleans, we went to Dallas. Where else did we go? We went to Tyler, Texas, for the [Earl Campbell Tyler Rose award banquet]. We had some trips with the scooter, me and him. But I was glad to let him go.”
Fond memories were made on those wheels. But now Barrett has a chance to make some new ones on his own two feet.