COLUMBUS – Buckeye quarterback J.T. Barrett has been suspended for one game after being cited for operating a vehicle while impaired.
A statement released by the OSU Dept. of Athletics shortly after 9:30 a.m. Saturday read:
“Student-athlete J.T. Barrett was cited by Columbus police Saturday a.m. at a check point w/ a misdemeanor offense of OVI. Barrett has been suspended by head coach Urban Meyer from playing in Ohio State’s game against Minnesota on Nov. 7.”
There was no further immediate comment from Meyer.
Police sources told The Columbus Dispatch that Barrett was released into the custody of fellow quarterback Cardale Jones.
Based on Ohio State’s student-athlete drug and alcohol policy, a first positive violation by an underage student is treated as a second positive if the student is underage. That would call for a two-week suspension. But Ohio State director of athletics Gene Smith told the newspaper that Barrett’s suspension is for one game because the citation is a misdemeanor.
Joe Barrett, J.T.’s father, told The Dispatch, “All good … just a young man mistake that he must learn from.”
Columbus Police spokesman Sgt. David Pelphrey said that Barrett was stopped in the area of Hudson and High streets.