Ohio State opens spring with lingering questions about Braxton Miller's health
Ohio State opened spring practice today with a dilemma many coaches wouldn’t gripe about — three starting quarterbacks.
Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones all took the field Tuesday, though they practiced in varying capacities.
Miller warmed up with the team, but did most of his work off to the side with the other injured players. He threw a couple short passes, but nothing that would aggravate his surgically repaired throwing shoulder.
Barrett did a little more throwing than coach Urban Meyer said he expected, but he was limited in his mobility while he continued to recover from a surgically repaired ankle.
That left the bulk of the reps to Jones and former redshirt Stephen Collier, who was made famous during the national championship for his excellent scout team portrayal of Oregon’s Marcus Mariota.
Ohio State’s quarterbacking quandary is well documented. Miller was the Heisman hopeful at the start of the 2014 season before he reinjured his throwing shoulder, which forced him to have season-ending surgery. Barrett stepped in admirably, set all sorts of Ohio State records and led the Buckeyes to the Big Ten title game before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Jones was up next and led the Buckeyes to a Big Ten title, a College Football Playoff semifinal win against Alabama and ultimately a national championship victory against Oregon.
Meyer acknowledged Tuesday that he didn’t know how his quarterbacking situation was going to play out. He praised Barrett’s recovery and called Jones “an older rookie,” but was a little more measured when he spoke about Miller.
Miller isn’t ready to compete. If the season started today, Miller would be on the sidelines and Meyer wouldn’t be sure when he’d be ready to go in.
“Our day today was all about Braxton continuing along his journey to get healthy, which he's done an excellent job,” Meyer said. “He goes down to Birmingham (to see surgeon Dr. James Andrews), he's been down there at least twice, maybe three times to work with them to make sure the rehab is going on point.
"Our trainers and doctors have done a really good job, but it's all Braxton. The longer I'm in this profession, it's the doctors and the trainers who do it, but the kid knows. I ask him every day, 'How's it going?' And he's man enough to tell me."
This is Miller’s second consecutive spring recovering from shoulder surgery, however this time he’s not in a hurry to rush back. That push to rush back a year ago likely contributed to his current predicament. Will Miller be ready for the fall? Meyer isn’t ready to say.
"We're watching him closely," Meyer said. "I talk to him every day about that. I'm not qualified to talk to him about it. That's why we send him down to Birmingham. And he's more mature, too, so whatever happens, that's one thing about medical issues, you don't know. I don't know. I have opinions, but that's what they are.
"But we are watching him very closely."
Meyer’s also not willing to consider a position change for Miller, something he was asked about during Tuesday’s press conference.
If there’s any good news to come out of today's opening spring practice it’s that Miller was on the Ohio State practice field to start spring football. Rumors of a possible transfer have swirled around Miller for the past few months and whether he’ll actually be with Ohio State to compete in the fall remains to be seen. But before Miller can even entertain the possibility of switching schools in an effort for a starting gig, he has to be able to throw a ball consistently and comfortably more than 15 yards.
"I just love seeing him out there," Meyer said. "The relationship part of me, I love Braxton Miller. I always have. He's always done what I asked him to, he's a selfless guy who works really hard. I am excited to see that guy out there going through the drills."
For more Ohio State news, visit BuckeyeGrove.com.
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