Watch: Does Former Buckeye Cardale Jones Deserve a Statue in Columbus?

Originally posted on FanNation Buckeyes Now
By Matt Guzman | Last updated 2/27/23

Cardale Jones is a name that many Ohio State Buckeyes fans likely have not heard in a while.

A former Buckeyes quarterback, Jones was a big part of Ohio State's 2014 title run, which remains as the last year that the program brought home the CFP championship trophy.

But what was his lasting impact on the program?

After all, Jones only started 10 games throughout his three years with Ohio State, though most will recall three of those from the end of his redshirt sophomore season to define his legacy.

Former Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer is no exception, appearing on the "All Things Covered" podcast, where he stated that he believes Jones deserves a statue on Ohio State's campus.

"[Jones] beat Wisconsin 59 to nothing," Meyer said on the podcast. "[Then he] beat Alabama, and then he went on to beat Oregon. That's one of the greatest runs of certainly Ohio State history."

That season, the Buckeyes amassed a 14-1 record in their championship effort, and those three games paved the way for them in the postseason following their nearly-perfect regular season.

Led by quarterback J.T. Barrett, the Buckeyes seemed to have a solid chance at making a run in the playoff, though getting past a powerhouse Alabama team and later an Oregon team led by Heisman-winner Marcus Mariota would prove difficult in any circumstance.

But what made those wins more impressive was that prior to that string of games, Jones had never started for the Buckeyes.

Over those three games, Jones tallied 755 passing yards and threw six touchdowns on only two interceptions. On top of that, he averaged 16.6 yards per completion to help the Buckeyes to dominant victories.

One of his best plays came against Wisconsin when Jones set the tone early, throwing a 40-yard strike to Devin Smith for his first of three scores.

His success continued throughout the game and the two after it, but unfortunately did not carry over in the same capacity the season following.

Regardless, there is no doubt that Jones' iconic run was one for Buckeye fans to remember, but for fans looking for a statue with Jones' name on it, it may be a while.

Though if a statue were to be erected on campus in honor of the former Buckeye, Urban Meyer would be its first supporter.