Braxton Miller Injury: Updates on Ohio State Star's Neck and Return

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Braxton Miller left Saturday's win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers after a hard fall on the turf and is dealing with a sore neck. His status for the team's upcoming game against Illinois is unknown.

Continue for updates.

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Latest on Miller's Practice Status

Monday, Nov. 9

Head coach Urban Meyer told reporters Miller did not practice on Sunday as he had a sore neck.

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Meyer Comments on Miller's Injury

Sunday, Nov. 8

Meyer told reporters Miller "may have just gotten the wind knocked out of him."

"I think he's gonna be all right," Meyer added. "We'll know more tomorrow."

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Miller's Potential Absence Would Deprive Ohio State of Top Passing Target

The former quarterback moved to wide receiver after a tumultuous 2014 that began with Miller as a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate. But a second shoulder injury sidelined him for the entire season, and a combination of J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones helped the Buckeyes win the national championship. 

The senior announced his position change at the end of July as Ohio State searched for its starting quarterback, whittling the competition down to Jones and Barrett.

Meyer believed Miller was going to produce and become a vital part of his receiving corps, as he told USA Today's Laken Litman:

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I was a wide receivers coach for a long time. There’s a tendency to forget how good he is. He’s moved up to the top 5-6 workers (in the weight room) on our team. He’s serious right now. ... He’s one of the best athletes I’ve ever coached. Has an incredible first step. When it’s win or lose time, he’s not the type to lose. My expectation is he’s an impact player.

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Miller has seen success at his new position, consistently making plays downfield as a rusher and receiver. He has also been a reliable target with a great set of hands, as the Big Ten Network showed:

While Ohio State is not the kind of team that will pass a defense into submission, it does rely on the air attack to open up the offense. The Buckeyes were averaging 214.2 passing yards per game this season after Saturday's matchup against Minnesota, but they still have big-time target Michael Thomas to anchor the receiving corps, should Miller miss time.

Stats courtesy of OhioStateBuckeyes.com.