Braxton Miller has decided to bow out of the quarterback competition in Columbus and will spend his final year of eligibility playing receiver for Ohio State. In an interview with Sports Illustrated on Thursday, Miller said he plans to spend about 80% of his time with receivers and 20% with the quarterbacks when the Buckeyes open training camp next month. The announcement comes as a bit of a surprise, as just two weeks ago Miller formally announced he would remain in Columbus and strongly indicated he would remain a quarterback. With the announcement it seems the competition at QB has been narrowed to just two candidates with a switch that benefits both Ohio State football and Miller himself. “Braxton Miller can play wide receiver as long as he wants to play it,” says Zach Smith, receivers coach for the Buckeyes. “His speed, strength, talent, commitment and, really, lifestyle will allow him to be like Joey Galloway. It’s going to be a matter of how quickly he grows into the position, but the sky is the limit for him.” Miller told SI Thursday that he began seriously considering switching positions in April and has been watching receiver film with coaches, including head coach Urban Meyer, since May. Miller said the plan was his fallback in case his shoulder prevented him from returning to the field under center and has been quietly practicing his new position with teammate J.T. Barrett during late-night practice sessions. “For the most part, it’s going to be H-Back and punt returns,” Miller said during his phone interview, “This is the smarter thing right now, God blessed me with a lot of talent and different opportunities. I’m going to have fun with that and still score a lot of touchdowns and help the team out and be dominant at that.” Miller’s decision to switch is, as he noted, the smartest thing for him at the moment and the decision helps Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes in more ways than one. A switch was the best long-term option for Miller, as it not only guarantees him playing time this season but also improves his NFL draft stock…
Continue Reading: What Braxton Miller’s position switch means for Ohio State Football | isportsweb
