The news that I’m sure Columbus was praying wouldn’t come. came anyway today. Braxton Miller has a torn labrum and will sit out the entire season.
This a crushing blow just 11 days before the start of the season, to lose your best player, and probably the biggest offensive threat in the Big Ten. I know OSU has a ton of talented players, and I’m sure the redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett was recruited to play in exactly this system, but there’s just no replacing the experience and production that the Buckeyes have gotten out of Miller.
I can’t imagine Ohio State running the table without a misstep here or there, even with what is a pretty easy schedule. Somewhere along the way, there will be a bump in the road and a rookie QB to try and hurdle it, whether that bump comes early against Navy or Virginia Tech, or later against Michigan State or Michigan. For a Big Ten team to make the 4 team playoff though, I think they’re going to have to be undefeated. The conference is just too top heavy at this point to get past schools from other conferences who also have one or two losses.
On the other hand, maybe Ohio State fans can relax now and enjoy what will still probably be a 9-10 win season!
I am glad to see Miller is planning on taking a red shirt. I’ve seen some folks on Twitter speculating that he might go pro, but I just don’t see the upside. The question on him as far as the NFL is concerned is his throwing ability. Right now he’s simply a great athlete, a great running QB who can makes some plays with his arm, but not consistently. Coming off two shoulder surgeries, with that resume, no one in the NFL is taking him s a QB. He needs to come back and prove he can throw accurately and consistently. Let’s hope he can do that!
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