The Braxton Miller era started with a win today. It wasn’t a great win, and it wasn’t against a great team, but it was a win. Doing something positive after last week’s ugly loss against Miami was important, and the Buckeyes accomplished that goal.
I think Braxton Miller could develop into a great college quarterback — if he doesn’t get his head taken off running for an extra yard here and there. I often thought that Terrelle Pryor would run out of bounds too easily. Miller seems to have the opposite tendency — he doesn’t know when to go down and avoid the big hit. That is something coaching can change, and Miller seems coachable. Other than that, Miller has loads of promise. Quick, elusive, with pretty good technique already, Miller’s running ability gives the Buckeyes another weapon on offense that any defensive coach has to think about. If he can get his passing down, Ohio State should be able to do a lot with passes that play off of Miller’s running ability.
The Buckeyes’ defense still is a work in progress. Today, the Buckeyes played a “bend but don’t break” style against Colorado, a team that really isn’t very good. We’ll have to see how the defense fares against the better teams coming up on the schedule, but I don’t think this is a defensive squad that is going to pitch many shutouts. That’s another reason why having Miller behind center, and maximizing the chances for offensive scores, is the only way to go.