Braxton Miller to H-Back Makes Ohio State Most Dynamic Offense in College Football

braxton miller
Rick Osentoski – USA TODAY Sports

One of the most anticipated position battles of the fall is at quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The defending national champions were looking at the very real dilemma of having three viable starting quarterbacks to choose from with Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett coming back from injury. But the quarterback race got a little clearer with the news that Miller is working primarily with the receivers this summer, setting the stage to a position switch for the senior and giving Ohio State the most dynamic offense in the nation for 2015.

When healthy, there is no denying that Miller is one of the elite athletes in college football. In 2012 and 2013, Miller led one of the top offenses in the country, accounting for 4,133 yards passing, 2,339 yards rushing, and 64 total touchdowns to win back-to-back Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards. He was a heavy preseason favorite for the 2014 Heisman Trophy before a torn labrum in fall camp ended his season before it even started.

While he was on the sidelines recuperating from a second surgery on his throwing shoulder, Barrett took control of the team and led them all the way to a Big Ten East division title and a spot in the Big Ten Championship before getting injured himself. Cardale Jones was then called upon and just led the Buckeyes to the Big Ten title in emphatic fashion before leading them through the inaugural College Football Playoff to win the national title. That emergence of both Barrett and Jones gave Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes plenty of confidence in allowing Miller to transition to a new position for 2015.

And by moving Miller to the H-back position, Ohio State adds a new dimension to their offense that will make them even more dangerous in 2015. The Buckeyes already had a loaded roster heading into the fall with leading rusher Ezekial Elliott returning along with playamkers like Dontre Wilson and Michael Thomas. None of those players, however, bring the versatility that Miller can bring with his athleticism and experience at quarterback. His ability to line up anywhere on the field as an H-back, including at quarterback, makes him a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.

At the end of the day, the ability to get the best 11 players on the field at once can only make an offense more dangerous. With Miller taking on the challenge of learning a new position, Ohio State can now find a spot for him as one of their top athletes as well as choosing the quarterback that can lead this offense the furthest. By making the move to H-back, Braxton Miller has added another dangerous element to the Buckeyes’ attack for 2015.

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