Braxton Miller has thrown all of 24 passes this season, injuring his knee on the team’s second drive against San Diego State and sitting out the next two-plus games, including Saturday’s non-conference finale against Florida A&M, according to ESPN’s Austin Ward.
In his stead, experienced backup Kenny Guiton has developed into something of a mythic figure, leading the Buckeye offense with efficiency that’s normally reserved for a starter. Prior to the Florida A&M game—his second consecutive start—he’d completed 41 of 61 passes for 449 yards, seven touchdowns and just one pick.
The developing notion in Columbus is that this is a good thing. Buckeyes fans have talked themselves into a “no harm, no foul” approach with Miller’s injury, claiming that so long as he returns soon, the development of Guiton as a bona fide insurance option has been worth the lost reps.
It’s also allowed supporting cast members like Devin Smith and Jordan Hall to step into the limelight and improve, which should give the team a more confident group of skill-position guys down the road.
But in truth, even if/when he comes back healthy, the time Miller missed will hurt more than his (now non-existent) Heisman hopes. It might put OSU’s entire season in jeopardy.
Ohio State is better than every team on its schedule—not just at the quarterback position but up and down the roster. By that token, the Buckeyes should be (and are) able to win every one of their games.
But…
Continue Reading: How Braxton Miller’s Injury Hurts Ohio State’s BCS Chances
