When Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller switched positions, many media members portrayed the decision as a selfless act by an individual placing team needs above his own. That’s a half-truth. Miller has no NFL future as a QB. He does have a lot of pro potential as a wide receiver though. So the situation is actually a win-win for Braxton Miller, for both his individual, and his team goals.
Take the case of former Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El? Like Miller, he wasn’t tall enough to play quarterback in the NFL, so Randle El moved to receiver where he had a very fine pro career. He especially excelled on special teams. Braxton Miller is dynamic like Randle El, but he has more size.
Said Ohio State Defensive Tackle Adolphus Washington: “If you YouTube Braxton Miller highlights, he’s like a human joystick, for him to do that at the quarterback position is amazing, now imagine what he can do with open space.”
“I don’t even know if he thinks about what he’s doing, it just comes natural.”
Washington said Miller didn’t even need to wear a black jersey (for non-contact, a right accorded to quarterbacks) “cause you can’t hit him anyway.”
Quite the complement.
(By the way, I discussed Braxton Miller, and this situation, on WGN-TV’s CLTV “Sports Feed” today with Jarrett Payton and Josh Frydman)
The signal caller situation is now between redshirt sophomore J.T. Barrett and somehow, someway 2015 NFL Draft eligible Cardale Jones. I still think Jones should have left early for the pros, as his stock will never be higher than it was when pulled off those three huge upsets and won the Buckeyes the national title. However, I totally understand his decision, and I can’t find any fault in his choice to stay in school. The Buckeyes and college football in general is better off for it. So what happens now at signal caller in Columbus? Well, the topic has been a dead horse for a very long time, and that dead horse is going to get beaten even more between now and opening day on September 4th.
Offensive Tackle Taylor Decker was asked how will Urban Meyer ultimately decide the starting quarterback position. His answer was perfect.
“I don’t know, and not to be too blunt, but I don’t really care.”
“I have full faith that we’ll be successful in whoever steps in that position, and they have their approach to how they pick their quarterbacks, they haven’t let me or anybody else in on that, and their approach works. It’s not a theory, it’s a testimony. Last season we saw it.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is part of the FOX Sports Engage Network.Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous talk radio stations all across the country.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram