Cardale Jones and his mysterious helmet

"Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play football? We ain't come to play school, classes are pointless". 
Cardale Jones 10/5/12.

And so it was a couple years ago. Kind of gets you right -- urp -- there -- ya know?

But a lot of things can change in 2 years. Look at Congress and gas prices.

Nevertheless, Cardale Jones be da man for the Ohio State Buckeyes right 'bout now. They be gun for champeens agin Oregon. But sumpin be wrong.

His helmet. As college football fans know, OSU has this thing about putting what look like asterisks on the helmets of players. Presumably they get one for every great play they make. Over the course of the year, many players' helmets are crawling with them on both sides -- little buckeyes every which way. They must have made a lot of good plays. Funny though, how they never seem to erase one when a player pulls a bonehead -- though in fairness they should. Once there, they stay. Kind of like US foreign policy. Ahem.

But yours truly started jonesing when I saw Cardale's helmet in the game against Alabama. Consider:

He entered the season as a red-shirt sophomore. Number three on the Buckeyes' QB depth chart. Third string QBs don't many reps in practice and see ZERO game time.

After injuries to #1 Braxton Miller, and #2 J.T. Barrett, Jones got his first start against Wisconsin in the Big Ten conference championship game. Granted, the Buckeyes would demolish the Badgers 59-0 and Aire, excuse, Cardale played very well.

Yet somehow when he showed up for the Sugar Bowl, his helmet was plastered up and down, front to back, and right to left with those pesky asterisks for outstanding plays. How could this be after only playing one game?

Did they give him a buckeye every time he didn't fumble a snap from center? Two for every pass he completed? Perhaps they gave him a couple bonus stars every time he attended a class (see his own words at the top of this article).

OSU vs Bama was a great game to watch. But no way a third string QB starting only his second game should have "fruit salad" on his helmet like a four-star general.

Something was very wrong with this picture.