College football's most engaging position battle has lost one of its competitors. Ohio State's Braxton Miller told Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel Thursday night that he will move to wide receiver and also work as a returner this season.
Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer wasn't as definitive about the move, telling The Columbus Dispatch that "I haven't made those decisions yet." However, it appears as if the two-time Big Ten offensive player of the year, who helped OSU to an undefeated season in 2012 and two division titles as the starting QB, has made up his mind.
If the decision holds, Ohio State's quarterback job will be up for grabs between Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett. Barrett was a Heisman contender this past year before suffering a season-ending injury in November. Jones then entered the lineup in what has to be considered one of the most amazing runs in football history. Jones' first three career starts, all wins, took place in the Big 10 Championship, the Sugar Bowl and the National Championship.
This should be viewed as a positive step for both the Buckeyes and Miller's potential NFL future. The switch clears up what would have been a very public and muddled QB competition a bit while also offering Meyer some very interesting options on offense. Miller missed the entire 2014 season due to a torn labrum, so getting him back on the field one way or the other is a clear priority. Opposing teams can't be too thrilled with defending an offense that could potentially feature three athletic and versatile QBs on the field at one time.
"It's a long process to get back totally to throwing and throwing every day," Miller told SI. "This is the smartest thing for 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."
One question that arises with this move is how good of a wide receiver he can be. While the transition may be difficult at first, Miller wasn't completely off base when he told The Columbus Dispatch that he was "the best athlete in college football." Miller is as explosive as any player in the game at the moment and will be able to contribute in a variety of ways during the 2015 season.
