Ohio State Football: 10 Things We Need to Know About QB Braxton Miller

The departure of Terrelle Pryor from Ohio State has opened up the door for a new starting QB during the 2011 season.

With a slew of controversy surrounding the integrity of the program starting to maybe slow down a bit, Buckeye fans should be focusing on the games right now.

And what they do have right now is a talent-laden 2011 recruiting class, anchored by blue-chip QB Braxton Miller.

Miller, who along with senior Joe Bauserman, is one of the favorites to start for the Buckeyes this season.

So it's time for the college football world to meet the newest Buckeye who might have some big shoes to fill as early as this season.

Here are 10 things to know about Braxton Miller.

1. Four-Year Starter at a Division I High School

Most people in the state of Ohio can attest that Division I high school football is among the most competitive and deep leagues of high school football in the country.

And the Cincinnati/Dayton area where Miller's school, Huber Heights Wayne, resides is one of the most talented if not the most talented areas in all of Ohio for talented teams.

To start at a Division I school, let alone in that area, as a true freshman at QB, says something about Braxton Miller.

Although Miller's stats each season weren't particularly amazing, the experience he had from starting four full seasons at that level can only help him transition to the college game much more smoothly than most young QBs who play their first year on campus. 

2. His Ability to Be a True Dual-Threat QB

We could go into the details of the types of things that make Miller a special talent.

But the video here will do more of the talking, as it shows Miller being able to run, throw and even throw on the move, something that he will need to do to be effective as a starter at Ohio State.

3. Good Mechanics for Where He Is Now

The difference between Miller and Pryor as freshman, at least as far as passers, could not be more different.

While Pryor at times struggled with mechanics and did not always throw a perfect ball, Miller showed he has a pretty good foundation for solid mechanics.

In different practice videos throughout the internet, Miller has shown he has the ability to throw a good spiral and to have velocity on it, something Pryor didn't initially have and which took him a while to get.

This alone makes it seem apparent that Miller may be better prepared to throw against college defenses from the get-go than Pryor did way back in 2008.

4. Great Leadership Ability

Above all the other physical attributes that make a great QB, one trait that can take them to the next level is something that is an intangible: leadership.

Leadership is what makes a QB get the most out of his team and stepping up in big situations when he is needed.

Say what you will about Cam Newton, but he showed quite a bit of leadership by always finding the resolve to make plays when he had to.

Terrelle Pryor did that in small doses but not as much as you would expect a superstar QB to be able to do.

And for Braxton Miller, his drive to win showed as his team, seeded No. 8 in their region out of eight playoff teams with a roster of mostly inconsistent talent and fell just one touchdown short of beating Lakewood St. Edward's in the state championship game, who was dominating their opposition on the way to Canton that postseason.

He will have much better talent around him compared to his opposition, but he does have the ability to put a team on his back which a great QB needs to do from time to time.

5. An Early Enrollee

The recruiting game seems to have changed in recent years, with less QBs committing late in the process and trying to enroll early.

Pryor may have been the last blue-chip QB to commit on or after National Signing Day, and players like Matt Barkley and Russell Shepard enrolling early at their schools in 2009.

For Braxton Miller, the decision to enroll early was certainly a smart move, getting an extra few months to get stronger and learn the college game.

Although he started slow, having an extra 15 practices against top college talent can only help speed up his development.

And from the good things he showed in the spring scrimmage back in late April, the idea of what he can do with those spring practices plus full fall camps should be enough to whet Buckeye appetites should Miller start from day one.

6. Compares to a Hybrid of Troy Smith and Donovan McNabb

Initially, the player that Braxton Miller compares to would be former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith.

But another interesting idea is that Miller is a hybrid of Troy Smith and another talented running QB, former Syracuse QB Donovan McNabb.

McNabb was a guy who could burn teams with his arm and his legs, although he does not run that often in the NFL, especially due to injuries.

But Miller seems to have McNabb's athletic ability combined with Smith's leadership and arm.

If Miller can live up to those comparisons or at least be pretty close to them, he could be a special player by the time his career as a Buckeye is done.

7. Injury Issues

Like Pryor above, Braxton Miller has had to overcome some injury issues during his high school career.

The most notable of his injuries came during the first game of his senior year in 2010 against Cincinnati Moeller, where after dominating the first half of play running the ball, he suffered a high ankle sprain that hampered him through most of the season.

When healthy, he was a dominant force, as was shown in the games against Moeller and the state title game.

When not healthy, like most players, he becomes somewhat ineffective.

If he can get stronger during college and be able to stay healthy, he will have the career most feel he is capable of having.

8. Seems Like a Down to Earth Person

One thing that Ohio State fans hope of young Miller is that he doesn't become the type of person that LeBron James has become.

But from most of the interviews Miller has done, he appears like a down to earth person with a good head on his shoulders, and he seems humble.

Humility is the first step to learning and growing, which Miller so far appears to be, at least at this juncture.

That can still change, but at least as far as now is concerned, he appears to be on the opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to athlete's attitudes.

9. The Ability to Elevate His Play

Going back to the Troy Smith comparison, Smith was a guy who commanded the respect of everyone else in the huddle and made sure he could get the best out of the guys around him.

Although one year doesn't exactly make a resume, Miller's team's run to the state championship game as a No. 8 seed in an eight-team region is a good example.

After attending Wayne's contest with area rival Springfield High School, although it was only one game, one thing was very apparent: Miller had little help offensively.

His line was getting blown up, his running backs couldn't find holes, and his receivers had stone hands during almost the entire game.

You could make the case for his team having a bad day and not stepping up during Miller's injury, but that was the team that lost by only one touchdown in the state championship game.

If that isn't an example of being able to elevate the people around one player to get to another level, then it may be tough to find one.

But Braxton Miller does have that ability, though he will have a much better supporting cast to help him score touchdowns. 

10. His Physical Attributes Transition Well to Ohio State's Offense

Although Luke Fickell is not an offensive-minded guy, expect him to keep the same type of offensive system that Jim Tressel ran during his 10-year tenure as Ohio State's coach.

The rest of the offensive staff, including former Florida WR coach Stan Drayton, are still with the team, which means the offense should look the same as it has before.

What that means is that the offense works best with a QB that can run and throw the football, each with near equal efficiency.

Troy Smith did that, Pryor did that, and even Craig Krenzel did that to some extent.

Miller will be the next guy called upon to fulfill that role of being a guy who needs to be able to run the football as well as throw it to kickstart the Buckeye offense.

He has the speed as well as the mechanics to succeed and succeed very early as a starter, but it will need to be up to him to show to the coaching staff that he is ready to be given the keys to the team and to be the starter for Ohio State as a true freshman this season.

For more college football news and updates, visit The BCS Blitz and follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim.