Colin Cowherd has a theory.

He isn’t saying it’s true, but he is saying it could’ve happened.

“Did Urban Meyer promise Cardale Jones, ‘If you come back, you’ll start?'” Cowherd said on his show Tuesday. “I think that it’s possible. I don’t know that it’s true. It’s not a rumor, but I think that it’s possible because that’s what happens with quarterbacks and politics.”

The idea seems far-fetched, given the fact that Meyer said throughout camp that both were being evaluated at a competition level. It is worth noting that when Meyer did site his reason for starting Jones in the opener, he said that J.T. Barrett hadn’t done enough to win back the job over Jones, implying that the national championship run made Jones the starter until proven otherwise.

Cowherd talked about Jones’ draft stock and how that could’ve influenced the decision for Jones to return to Columbus.

“Maybe Urban Meyer said, ‘Hey, if you come back, I’ll start ya. I can’t guarantee you’ll keep the job, but I’ll start ya.’ That could be a very real conversation” Cowherd said on his show Tuesday. “Why would Cardale Jones — after winning the title at Ohio State — go back?”

Either way, we’re supposed to be getting a resolution to this saga after practice Wednesday. Meyer said that he plans to name a clear starter for Saturday’s game against Western Michigan.

Cowherd’s theory shouldn’t be in play in making that decision.