Cardale Jones announced Thursday that he will bypass the NFL draft and return to Ohio State, leaving the Buckeyes with three capable quarterbacks: Jones, J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller.
For the team, this is what’s known as a “good problem to have.” But for Miller, it’s a sign to start packing.
Miller was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013 before tearing his labrum this offseason. His injury paved the way for Barrett to become a Heisman candidate, and Barrett’s own injury paved the way for Jones to become an NFL prospect.
All three quarterbacks have earned the right to start, but three quarterbacks can’t share one backfield. If they could, Urban Meyer would be the right guy to puzzle the logistics—but they can’t. And Miller, a rising redshirt senior, is the only member of the group who can transfer in 2015 without having to sit out a season.
Now more than ever, he has to find a new home.
Miller has the talent to win the starting job at OSU next season. He was a 5-star prospect in 2011 and started as a true freshman. He led the Buckeyes on a 24-game winning streak in his sophomore and juniors years. There’s a reason he entered fall camp ahead of Barrett and Jones on the depth chart, and it wasn’t just seniority.
But the chance that he might not start—or that even if he does start, he might split reps with two other players—should be enough to send him elsewhere. Not because he’s “running from the competition,” but simply…
Continue Reading: Cardale Jones’ Return to Ohio State Means Braxton Miller Must Transfer
