The Sporting News thinks we may pursue Braxton Miller

[Juan]

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2014-12-02/first-and-10-braxton-miller-free-agent-transfer-ohio-state-oregon-ucla-texas-arkansas-possible-destinations-conference-awards?eadid=SOC/Twi/SNMain

This no longer is Urban Meyer’s decision, it’s Braxton Miller’s. And it will quickly become the biggest free agent recruitment ever.
 
A Heisman Trophy candidate is on the market. Who’s interested?
 
“I don’t see how he can stay there now,†one Big Ten coach said of Braxton Miller’s tenuous — at best — situation as quarterback at Ohio State. “At the end of the day, Urban is a coach.â€
 
Translation: Meyer, Ohio State’s wildly successful coach, has one of the nation’s elite — maybe even best  â€” quarterbacks right now. There’s no way he takes a step back in 2015 and allows Braxton Miller, a preseason Heisman candidate before a shoulder injury in August ended his season, to play ahead of J.T. Barrett, the more talented guy who replaced him.
 
And that leaves only this for Miller: it's time to move on.  
 
 * * * 
 

Right now — before an ankle injury against Michigan ended his season — Barrett is a better player than Miller. It’s that simple.
 
Barrett is a much better thrower, and although not as dangerous of a run threat, he’s fast enough and dynamic enough that he can hurt defenses in the run game. Only a redshirt freshman, Barrett already has shown unique leadership and has proven he can win big games (hello, Michigan State) and games that matter (Minnesota).
 
 * * * * 
 
The question is, where will he transfer? The best options:
 
• Texas: The depth chart currently includes Tyrone Swoopes (struggling mightily this season) and promising freshman Jerrod Heard, who is redshirting. Neither would push Miller for the job. There are more pro than spread principles to the Longhorns’ offense, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be tweaked. "

 

[dillohorn]

We needed him this year.

 

[primal defense]

That would be great if we could get him, but I would guess he would go to Oregon.

 

[Hiphopopotamos]

We needed him this year.

We did.  We also could likely need him next year.

 

[BevoBlake]

This would certainly boost the team in a big way next year. I actually don't think he'd go to Oregon. Out of the teams mentioned, I think it would come down to UCLA or Texas. 

Texas should make a strong push for the kid. I don't want to see Heard get rushed into playing too soon but I think at this point, he could likely beat out Swoopes in the QB Competition. 

 

[Coal Harbour]

ZERO INTEREST in Braxton Miller.  It's one thing to rebuild, its quite another to have a "jump the shark" moment for the program.  This coaching staff is in the infancy stages of building a winner and step 1 was accomplished this year with setting values, guidelines and requirements to be a player at the University of Texas.  This was a huge problem obviously with the old regime.

Patience will need to be required and unlike basketball, may take a little bit longer to change things around totally.

 

[Hiphopopotamos]

ZERO INTEREST in Braxton Miller.  It's one thing to rebuild, its quite another to have a "jump the shark" moment for the program.  This coaching staff is in the infancy stages of building a winner and step 1 was accomplished this year with setting values, guidelines and requirements to be a player at the University of Texas.  This was a huge problem obviously with the old regime.

Patience will need to be required and unlike basketball, may take a little bit longer to change things around totally.

I'm curious how this would be a 'jump the shark' moment for Strong.  It really doesn't change anything other than prevents Watson from being forced to choose between Swoopes and a redshirt freshman.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

ZERO INTEREST in Braxton Miller.  It's one thing to rebuild, its quite another to have a "jump the shark" moment for the program.  This coaching staff is in the infancy stages of building a winner and step 1 was accomplished this year with setting values, guidelines and requirements to be a player at the University of Texas.  This was a huge problem obviously with the old regime.

Patience will need to be required and unlike basketball, may take a little bit longer to change things around totally.

I agree with this. Fans upset with Swoopes' game against TCU that are hoping for a Miller or Hubenak type to come in as a quick fix aren't being realistic about how a spread qb would fit in this scheme.

It's written right in that article that Miller is a better runner than thrower. That was Heard this Fall. Why go out and essentially get a duplicate of a player on the roster?

 

[primal defense]

ZERO INTEREST in Braxton Miller.  It's one thing to rebuild, its quite another to have a "jump the shark" moment for the program.  This coaching staff is in the infancy stages of building a winner and step 1 was accomplished this year with setting values, guidelines and requirements to be a player at the University of Texas.  This was a huge problem obviously with the old regime.

Patience will need to be required and unlike basketball, may take a little bit longer to change things around totally.

I disagree. Miller was one of the top quarterbacks In the nation in 2013. He could play next year then Heard and Gentry could fight it out for 2016.

 

[primal defense]

I agree with this. Fans upset with Swoopes' game against TCU that are hoping for a Miller or Hubenak type to come in as a quick fix aren't being realistic about how a spread qb would fit in this scheme.

It's written right in that article that Miller is a better runner than thrower. That was Heard this Fall. Why go out and essentially get a duplicate of a player on the roster?

Big difference between the QB from Blinn who has never played a college down and Braxton Miller who was one of the top quarterbacks in the country before he got hurt. We will only have two scholarship QBs next year if you redshirt Gentry.

If Coach Watson can't figure out a successful offense with Braxton Miller then he has a limited offensive mind.

 

[echeese]

We'd be FOOLISH not to go after someone like Braxton Miller. . .he would INSTANTLY make this team 2-3 wins better while giving our young QBs time to grow and mature.

158 rated passer, 24 TDs to 7 INTs and an excellent runner to boot (2013). . . . this was a leading Heisman QB pre-season

"this scheme"?   Sorry, might be one of the silliest things I've ever heard. . . . .Miller would do well in this scheme and frankly he wouldn't cause the scheme to be run with training wheels. . . .All Watson's "scheme" did when it had a quality QB was turn him into a Heisman candidate.

I suspect he heads to Oregon as well but he would be huge here, shirt Swoops, use Heard as your back up and shirt gentry .. . 

 

[MikeV73]

I disagree. Miller was one of the top quarterbacks In the nation in 2013. He could play next year then Heard and Gentry could fight it out for 2016.

Two time Big10 player of the year I believe.

 

[ScoBro1]

Russell Wilson going to Wisconsin for his last year didnt seem to set back their program. Should never turn down real talent if you can get it IMO.

 

[Juan]

Wescott Eberts  --

......

Texas certainly ran enough zone read with Swoopes this season that there are elements of the quarterback run game that would fit Miller's impressive skill set in that phase of the game, but the West Coast elements of play caller Shawn Watson's offense might be as difficult for Miller to handle as they have been for Swoopes at times this season.

 
In that sense, Miller would hardly represent a savior for Texas, especially since he has only one season of eligibility remaining. With that being said, this is a quarterback who holds nine school records at Ohio State and has led six game-winning touchdowns in addition to producing 74 career touchdowns for the Buckeyes -- he can play when given the right system, which Meyer clearly did in Columbus.
 
And more competition for Swoopes is the expressed goal of the coaching staff and Miller would unquestionably provide it, potentially allowing for Swoopes to finally redshirt as well if redshirting freshman Jerrod Heard earns the back-up job.
 
What the Longhorns really need is a long-term solution at quarterback and Miller definitely does not provide that, but he could buy some time for Texas to develop a long-term solution.

http://www.burntorangenation.com/2014/12/3/7327647/braxton-miller-texas-longhorns-transfer-ohio-state-buckeyes

 

[Mitch Lovell]

Under no circumstance could going after Braxton be bad could get a experienced qb run the offense maybe tweak it a little then heard gentry and swoopes can learn behind him just think how much better the team wouldve been with a guy of his skill this year

 

[Matt Cotcher]

We'd be FOOLISH not to go after someone like Braxton Miller. . .he would INSTANTLY make this team 2-3 wins better while giving our young QBs time to grow and mature.

158 rated passer, 24 TDs to 7 INTs and an excellent runner to boot (2013). . . . this was a leading Heisman QB pre-season

"this scheme"?   Sorry, might be one of the silliest things I've ever heard. . . . .Miller would do well in this scheme and frankly he wouldn't cause the scheme to be run with training wheels. . . .All Watson's "scheme" did when it had a quality QB was turn him into a Heisman candidate.

I suspect he heads to Oregon as well but he would be huge here, shirt Swoops, use Heard as your back up and shirt gentry .. . 

If Watson tweaked the offense, then I agree that Miller nets more wins. If they put him under center, had him take a 5-step, and then asked him to go though a 3 progression read, then I don't agree that he'd be any better than the current roster.

 

[Bear19]

I agree with this. Fans upset with Swoopes' game against TCU that are hoping for a Miller or Hubenak type to come in as a quick fix aren't being realistic about how a spread qb would fit in this scheme.

It's written right in that article that Miller is a better runner than thrower. That was Heard this Fall. Why go out and essentially get a duplicate of a player on the roster?

The answer is very simple. He is not a duplicate of Heard. Heard is totally unproven. Also there is an extreme lack of depth. If Miller would come to Texas it is a no-brainer.

 

[Chris Flanagan]

Bring in Miller would also give Swoopes a potential redshirt year. Use Heard as the backup, RS gentry, Swoopes and Merrick is a greyshirt. Could finally get some QB depth.

 

[Bear19]

If Watson can't tailor our offense to best utilize what we have then we need a new offensive cordinator. If he couldn't utilize Braxton Miller then he needs to go. And if we don't recruit Braxton Miller because of Watson that is a huge failure.