Ohio State's Braxton Miller Wants the Ball More, Something Urban Meyer Said He Expects From All Highly Skilled Players

By Eric Seger on October 12, 2015 at 3:01 pm
Braxton Miller's getting more comfortable in his new position and yearns for more touches.
37 Comments

Braxton Miller listened to the reporter's question intently, cleared his throat, licked his lips and smiled as he answered.

"Yeah," Miller said with a chuckle when he responded to a question about the conversations between both himself and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer on his involvement within the offense. Miller affirmed he tells Meyer he wants the ball more as he gets more comfortable at H-back, but it's nothing demanding.

"We talk about it all the time, situations in the game that I look forward to. Sometimes things get unraveled and it doesn’t happen, but gotta play for the next play and go from there," Miller said Monday. "I always want the ball, but expect the best and do your job."

Miller racked up 90 total yards in Ohio State's latest victory, a 49-28 win against lowly Maryland on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. He also caught a touchdown pass from Cardale Jones, his first score since the season opener at Virginia Tech. The 90 yards were the closest Miller's been to the century mark since the victory against the Hokies, where he tallied up 140 total yards and two touchdowns.

“But when we go out and recruit skilled athletes, we want them to want the ball. When me and Braxton have conversations, it's about how do we get him the ball and make sure he's fundamentally sound to do it.”– Urban Meyer

"Every good quality player wants the football, and we don't discourage that," Meyer said. "That goes back to my days in 1986 when Cris Carter was playing receiver, he wanted the ball. What did Coach (Earle) Bruce do? Gave him the ball. We don't look at that as a negative."

Carter is near the top of the all-time receiving categories in the Ohio State record book and a member of the 2013 Professional Football Hall of Fame induction class. He's one of the best threats on the outside the game's ever seen, and while Miller's not there yet, he said he's getting more comfortable after playing quarterback his entire life.

"Every practice, every game, I get better at something, not making the same mistakes that you did before and just getting comfortable with what you’re doing," Miller said. "I feel good."

Meyer said Miller does not insist on having the ball more than he does now throughout the course of the game, but the head coach said its his goal to get the two-time Big Ten Player of the Year the ball at least 10 times a game. Miller has lined up in the slot, taken direct snaps and caught the ball down the field so far in 2015, touching the ball 38 times for 353 total yards through six games.

"It becomes a special media fiasco and selfish where it's getting away of production. But when we go out and recruit skilled athletes, we want them to want the ball," Meyer said. "When me and Braxton have conversations, it's about how do we get him the ball and make sure he's fundamentally sound to do it."

Meyer said the best way for a player to tell him they want the ball is to simply do just that: Say "I want the ball."

"I think I don't mean to be sarcastic, because I've had some situations where they weren't — the appropriate way is not to have your uncle call me or to tell you guys and then you guys whatever," Meyer said. "But I hope there is enough respect in a relationship with guys like Braxton Miller and the players we have that we are trying to get the guys that deserve the ball."

Miller graded out as champion for his performance against the Terrapins on Saturday, and Meyer noted a pair of solid blocks on the edge by him on screen passes to Jalin Marshall and Michael Thomas. It was all clicking, a long way from the staff trying to figure out the best ways to get such a talent involved.

Miller

"I promised Braxton we'd do everything we could to get him ready to go, so he could maybe have a career in football and also help Ohio State," Meyer said. "As of right now, he's fully integrated as a wide receiver at Ohio State. He was not early in the season. He didn't know what to do."

Miller knows his future in football isn't at quarterback, especially with a twice surgically repaired right shoulder. He said he hardly throws the ball any more at practice — "I leave that alone right now" — instead just focusing on other ways to get involved in the offense and help Ohio State win.

"As long as I get the ball in my hands, I’m fine with it," Miller said. "It don’t matter."

37 Comments
View 37 Comments