Eleven Warriors

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller has won the 2012 Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's MVP as voted on by league coaches.

Forget trying to reconcile the fact that the same coaches couldn't see fit to put Miller on the conference's first-team offense; now is a time to celebrate.

Braxton Miller wanted to play pickup basketball, but the big kids in his Ohio neighborhood said no.

So he protested by taking a seat in the middle of the court. Wouldn't budge. His father, Kevin, finally grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away. He was 4.

Nine years later, Miller got his revenge. He slammed one so ferociously, he took down the rim.

"He was dunking in the seventh grade — in games," Kevin said.

Here's another tale from Braxton's youth: He was playing kickball when his sister, Bailey, hit him with the ball.

"Braxton chased her around the yard for 10 minutes," Kevin recalled.

The stories speak to Miller's being a ferocious competitor — and a remarkable athlete. So remarkable that despite being an unpolished sophomore, he has won the 2012 Chicago Tribune Silver Football, awarded to the Big Ten's best player in a vote of the conference's head coaches.

Miller becomes the 16th winner for Ohio State (Archie snagged two of them, so the Buckeyes have had 15 individuals capture the award), joining recent stars Troy Smith (2006), Joe Germaine (1998), Orlando Pace (1996), Eddie George (1995), Keith Byars (1984) and Archie Griffin (1973 and 1974).

Miller finished with 2,039 yards and 15 touchdowns through the air and another 1,271 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground in leading the Buckeyes to an undefeated season.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/silverfootball/...