It’s has been breaking news that All-everything quarterback Braxton Miller will be out the remainder of the season due to re-injuring his shoulder. Miller was expected to lead the Buckeyes to the College Football playoffs as well as being in contention for the Heisman Trophy. With Miller out, the Buckeyes will have to rely on J.T. Barrett to take the reigns of the quarterback position.
Barrett is unproven to say the least, but he will have a chance to become a household name very soon. Redshirt freshman quarterbacks in the past such as Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, and Johnny Manziel took their teams to new heights when they were virtually unknown, and new to the college football game. I am not calling Barrett any of the aforementioned players, but he can help lead the Buckeyes to win instead of expecting failure.
In Urban Meyer’s system a lot is asked of the quarterback. For back-to-back seasons, Miller had over 3,000 total yards and over 25 total touchdowns in those seasons. For the first time under Urban Meyer the Buckeyes will have an offense that could feature two or more quality players. In the past it was Miller or Carlos Hyde, but now other Buckeyes are due to step up with the absence of Miller.
From an offensive stand point the Buckeyes should be able to score over 30 points per game, but the jury is out on the defense. New Co-Defensive Coordinator Chris Ash will look to introduce a new style of play that can help Co-Defensive Coordinator Luke Fickell. The silver bullets have been missing in action for some time, and this is the perfect time to show up to help save the team. With Vonn Bell, Tyvis Powell, Joey Bosa, Noah Spence, Michael Bennett, and a host of other players looking to change the defensive culture under the Meyer regime the defense will be hungrier than ever after having an abysmal season last year.
It’s hard to replace a player of Miller’s stature, but football is the ultimate team sport. With a powder-puff schedule and a team full of top-tier recruits I expect the Buckeyes to rise to the challenge to silence the critics. I know it’s a sad time on High street and Lane avenue, but let’s not hit the panic button. Go Bucks!
