What Braxton Miller’s Return Means for Ohio State Football Moving Forward (Yahoo Contributor Network)

COMMENTARY | Heartbreak. The only way to describe the end of the Ohio State Buckeyes’ football season. With loses to both Michigan State and Clemson to round out the season, many fans and critics alike are left to wonder how legitimate Ohio State really was. Now, headed into the 2014 offseason, many questions surround this team. However, there is one important uncertainty that Buckeye fans everywhere can now breathe a sigh of relief about–the status of quarterback Braxton Miller. Miller announced on January 9 that he will be returning to the school for his senior season, which will mark his fourth year starting for the Buckeyes. So, what does this mean for the Buckeyes moving forward? It means they have a shot at redemption, a chance to prove that they were and are legitimate–and a chance for Miller to prove himself as an elite college quarterback. The 2014 season will see many new opponents for the Buckeyes, beginning on Labor Day weekend against the Hokies of Virginia Tech. Following that, Ohio State will also face Cincinnati and Big Ten newcomers Maryland and Rutgers. Going undefeated for a third straight regular season is going to be more of a task than ever for Ohio State. With Miller, the potential is off the charts. Only in his second full year of starting, Miller managed to put up very underrated numbers. Miller’s 24 touchdowns on 2,094 yards passing and 12 touchdowns on 1,068 rushing were incredibly undervalued, given the quarterback’s 2 1/2 games missed because of injury. Looking forward to recruiting, Ohio State brings in a class containing 10 Scouts.com top 100 players, more than any other school in the country, including the nation’s #1 rated linebacker in Raekwon McMillan. All in all, the Buckeyes appear to have a pretty stable grasp of where they are at and where they are going. With a good recruiting class, key players returning and a head coach who has only lost two total games in two years, the odds are high for Ohio State to make yet another run at the national championship. But not nearly as high as the stakes. Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics were courtesy of ESPN.com. Joe Tacosik is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a Yahoo Sports contributor. You can read Joe’s writings here, on BleacherReport.com and his freelance writing at JoeTacosik.com. You can also follow Joe on Twitter (@JoeBobTaco).Sports & RecreationAmerican FootballBraxton Miller

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