While Braxton Miller revealed on Thursday he'll move from quarterback to play H-back and return punts for Ohio State in 2015, his father says switching to a new position is not his son's plan.
Sports Illustrated reported on Thursday night that Miller would make the change to a receiver role for the Buckeyes. However, his father, Kevin Miller, told The Columbus Dispatch that Braxton Miller still considers himself a quarterback and that the position switch is a backup plan.
"(Playing receiver is) not his plan, but if it comes down to that, he's already been putting in work," Kevin Miller said, per The Dispatch. "You don't want to wait until the last minute."
Kevin Miller's pumping of the brakes on Braxton Miller's move to a new position is in line with Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer's comments after news of the switch broke. Meyer on Thursday told The Dispatch that "I haven't made those decisions yet. It's a little bit jumping the gun here."
A final determination on the position Braxton Miller will play in 2015 rests largely on the health of his shoulder, Kevin Miller said. Miller missed all of last season after reinjuring his throwing shoulder in fall camp.
"That's what he wants to do," Kevin Miller said of Braxton playing quarterback, per The Dispatch. "But being a competitor and a team player, if he doesn't feel that he's ready for quarterback because of the shoulder, he's open to doing whatever it takes to get on the field and help the team."
Kevin Miller said he spoke to SI reporter Pete Thamel, who wrote the story on Braxton Miller's position change, and that he had been "kind of misinterpreted."
Whether there was some sort of miscommunication or not, the fact remains that a position switch gives Braxton Miller the best chance of having a pro career. It's long been believed by NFL evaluators that Miller would be served best by transitioning away from playing quarterback. With J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones to compete against at quarterback, Miller is considered a longshot to win the starting job.
Based on what Meyer said -- he has the final say on how to utilize his players -- the matter of which position Miller plays in 2015 might not be settled yet. It should be a done deal, though.
