What was once seen as inevitable at Ohio State -- Braxton Miller stepping back into the starting lineup after sitting out this season with a shoulder injury -- now is seen as anything but because of the success of redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett, who replaced Miller in the starting lineup.
You have people saying Miller will be the starter, but also folks saying he needs to switch positions. So what if Miller wants to remain a quarterback -- but not necessarily at Ohio State? He will be a fifth-year senior next fall, and if he graduates from Ohio State, he could spend his final season elsewhere as a graduate transfer student.
Just for fun, here are 10 potential landing spots, listed alphabetically, if Miller hits the road.
Auburn
The reasoning: Nick Marshall is a senior. Backup Jeremy Johnson looks to be a star on the rise, but Miller in Gus Malzahn's offense certainly would be interesting. While he's not as quick as Marshall, he is a more physical runner and a better passer.
Boston College
The reasoning: The Eagles have a fifth-year transfer at quarterback this season in Tyler Murphy, who arrived from Florida. (He signed with UF when Urban Meyer was coach.) BC uses a run-heavy offense and has been successful this season despite Murphy being no passing threat. Miller is a better passer than Murphy -- and a better runner, too. Plus, in going to college in the Boston area, perhaps Miller soaks up some of the Tom Brady "vibe" via osmosis. In addition, BC coach Steve Addazio is a former Meyer assistant.
Kansas
The reasoning: The Jayhawks are searching for a new coach, and KU officials could do worse than Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman. Hmmm -- could Herman bring Miller along with him? As for any of the quarterbacks already on campus beating out Miller, excuse us while we laugh for a minute.
Kansas State
The reasoning: Jake Waters, who is a nice fit for Bill Snyder's system, is a senior. But K-State fans need to remember how great Michael Bishop was in Snyder's system. Miller, though he needs work as a passer, is better than Bishop in that facet. And Miller's running ability would be put to good use, too.
Mississippi
The reasoning: Bo Wallace is a senior and is moving on. Miller would give the Rebels a better athlete at quarterback, if not as good a passer. But Miller's legs certainly would add a different dimension to Mississippi's offense. And Miller throwing to Laquan Treadwell would make every Big Ten team (well, almost every one) sick with envy, as Miller is an Ohio native and Treadwell an Illinois native.
Mississippi State
The reasoning: Dak Prescott is a junior who has said he will consider turning pro. If he does, Miller would be a nice replacement. Remember that Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is a former Meyer assistant and runs the same style of offense, which would mean basically no learning curve for Miller.
Oregon
The reasoning: Marcus Mariota could return for his senior season. But if he doesn't, having Miller as a ready-made replacement likely would make coach Mark Helfrich and offensive coordinator Scott Frost giddy. Mariota is more advanced as a passer than Miller, but Miller is a more physical runner, and adding him to the stable of backs already on Oregon's campus -- wow.
Texas
The reasoning: Tyrone Swoopes has improved as the season has progressed, but he still has a ways to go. There would be no concern about quarterback if Miller were on campus. While Miller needs refinement as a passer, he still is better than Swoopes in that regard. And everybody knows Miller is a dangerous runner. And Charlie Strong, like Addazio and Mullen, is a former Meyer assistant.
UCLA
The reasoning: Brett Hundley has said he is considering turning pro, and there doesn't appear to be a clear-cut successor on campus if he leaves. The Bruins throw it better with Hundley than the Buckeyes did with Miller, but the fit still would work. Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone has been given credit for helping Hundley become a better passer; perhaps he could do the same with Miller.
Virginia Tech
The reasoning: The Hokies have received some of the most inconsistent quarterback play of any Power Five conference team over the past three seasons, and there is no clear-cut starting quarterback on the roster for next season. Coach Frank Beamer is feeling some heat, and it's not hard to remember that Beamer's most successful teams had dual-threat Michael Vick at quarterback. We're not saying Miller is the next Vick, but he has some of the same capabilities. Miller at the controls would ease some of the concerns about tailback and wide receiver, too.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
