It's Miller Time (Starting)

• sportchampps

  I think Miller has to start. I don't think any one of them is ready to start but Miller still has time to develop and Bauserman is out of time. With Miller starting we may lose one extra game but in the long run its worth it.
• SportsAndLady

  

  cats gone wild;907541 wrote:I didnt predict, I said that I saw it yesterday that he would be starting. Do you actually think I watched OSU against Miami to know his stats? Come on now. Keep twisting everything. I noticed you disappeared from that thread a couple days ago when I asked for links to what you called me out on.

  So some guy on the LSU boards knew some information that NO ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD knew? How gullible are you? It wasn't hard to predict miller would be starting; all someone had to say was "I know via my sources that Miller will be starting" and then when the inevitable happens, claim he knew all along...when really, he just guessed.
  
  And I'm not gonna go looking for all your posts..but you know you said Oklahoma would be exploited b/c they play in the Big 12 where it's all offense and no defense...defense looked pretty solid, no?
• dwccrew

  

  Zoltan;907612 wrote:I think if Miller starts the Toledo game OSU would have lost, and that would have been way more embarrasing than than losing to Miami. Bauserman still may be the better QB at this point, but if Fickell ran him out there again he would get boo'ed out of the stadium. Just like Braxton will get boo'ed vs. MSU next week. Miller is really struggling to pick up the playbook (even after enrolling early). Pryor did not enroll early and mentally picked things up much faster. He is going to make alot of mistakes, but we have to live with it for now.
  
  It comes down what would you rather have, a QB that makes some plays and has 4-5 turnovers, or a QB that doesn't make plays but has zero turnovers.

  LOL, you can tell this after 2 games that Miller has played in?
  
  And to answer your question, I'd rather have a qb that can make some plays and may turn it over (4-5 is an extreme hypothetical that I don't see happening regularly). Bauserman may not turn the ball over, but he won't put points on the board either. You will NEVER win games against good competition like that. At least Miller can make some plays and possibly put points on the board.
  
  You also have to allow Miller to get into a rythem and get a feel for the game. Fickell has just had Miller out there for a few series at a time. He hasn't got significant playing time yet to allow him to develop.
• Writerbuckeye

  

  Good luck to the young man. I'll be rooting hard for him -- and I'll be giving him a lot of latitude and time to learn how to become a good QB. I know what my eyes have told me: the kid has a world of talent and it's only a matter of experience before he eventually blossoms.
• se-alum

  

  Fickell needs to take a page out of the Tressel book, and lean on the run heavily, like we had to with Pryor. There were many games when TP only had 10-15 attempts.
• FatHobbit

  

  se-alum;907944 wrote:Fickell needs to take a page out of the Tressel book, and lean on the run heavily, like we had to with Pryor. There were many games when TP only had 10-15 attempts.

  Against Miami I think they would have done better if they ran 3 straight times and punted on every possession.
• Pariah

  Did Fickell really have a legitimate choice in this matter? Most of the media, fans, etc. were saying it was a no-brainer. If Fickell had trotted out Bauserman on the first series, I'm pretty sure that there would have been somethinig approaching a mutiny in the stands and no one would have looked good.
  
  You don't have to be Kirk Herbstreit to see that Bauserman is what he is, and I'm not opposed to getting the kid in there asap. However, there was one other option: replace Bauserman with Kenny Guiton and work Braxton in around KG. Guiton has been in the program 2 years, has similar skill set as Pryor and Miller, and could possibly provide some play-making ability while taking care of the ball. Maybe not too. We may never know if Miller does well, and if he does, it doesn't matter.
• FatHobbit

  

  It will be funny to hear who starts screaming for Guiton or Graham once Braxton struggles. (and he will struggle) The most popular player is always the second string quarterback.
• se-alum

  

  FatHobbit;908081 wrote:It will be funny to hear who starts screaming for Guiton or Graham once Braxton struggles. (and he will struggle) The most popular player is always the second string quarterback.

  Tried to rep ya, but apparently I have to spread the rep around more....lol.
• HitsRus

  

  Why is there even a question here? The season is already dead from self inflicted wounds. The only reason NOT to play Miller would be that if the kid is so green that playing him would actually be detrimental to his development. Does it really matter matter whether we lose 4, 5 or 6 games?
  
  Very simply put, you start the QB of the future and then if he falters badly, you bring in one of the more experienced guys in relief.
  
  A lot of people were more than happy to see Tressel and Pryor go....well now...this is what you got and now we have to live with it.
• FatHobbit

  

  HitsRus;908110 wrote:Why is there even a question here? The season is already dead from self inflicted wounds.

  One loss does not mean the season is dead. (Although I think we are going to have more than one loss before we're done this year.)
• se-alum

  

  HitsRus;908110 wrote:Why is there even a question here? The season is already dead from self inflicted wounds. The only reason NOT to play Miller would be that if the kid is so green that playing him would actually be detrimental to his development. Does it really matter matter whether we lose 4, 5 or 6 games?
  
  Very simply put, you start the QB of the future and then if he falters badly, you bring in one of the more experienced guys in relief.
  
  A lot of people were more than happy to see Tressel and Pryor go....well now...this is what you got and now we have to live with it.

  I guess we shouldn't worry about trying to win the B1G and making a BCS game, since the season is dead? Ridiculous.
• ksig489

  So if he bombs against Colorado and OSU loses...how will everyone respond? Im sure they will stay on the Miller train until he loses to MSU, then Nebraska...then is it Graham cracker time?
• OhioStatePride2003

  I really think Fickell was forced to play Miller. Here's why, there's no doubt that Miller is the future QB at OSU. No coach is going to want to be the head coach of a sophomore QB, destined to be a star, already in his second game, and still isn't very familar with the offense because the idiot coach misused him the season before.
• HitsRus

  

  I guess we shouldn't worry about trying to win the B1G and making a BCS game, since the season is dead? Ridiculous

  Just trying to keep it real. It would be tough enough even if we had an experienced seniorQB and a national championship winning coach. Instead, the powers that be felt it was more important to fire the coach, run the QB out of school and vacate last season's wins in one big mea culpa to the NCAA. If they wanted to win and go to a BCS game this year, they wouldn't have fallen on their swords.
  You can believe whatever you want....you can believe Indiana will go to BCS bowl this year too.....you can believe in the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny. You can believe OSU will go to a BCS bowl this year.
  
  Nowhere did I say you shouldn't try...and to that end, Miller gives you the best chance because he has a bigger upside.
• 0311sdp

  I don't see either Nebraska or especially Michigan State as automatic losses but to answer your question NO it won't be Graham Cracker time if Miller struggles. You play him and live with the results good or bad as he gains experience. That is why I said he should have been the starter from day 1 then he would have already gotten some valuable playing experience, unfortunately now he has to get it against better competition. I don't understand as was stated in a previous post that Bauserman may be the better QB now, What games have you been watching? He may be the worst starting QB in D-1 football and everyone knew this going in to the season, to me that is the puzzling question WHY would you even consider starting him?
• dwccrew

  

  And miller proves that he should have been in all along. Yes out was Colorado, yes they are terrible but miller did more than Bauserman would have. Miller will be good in the future
• Rotinaj

  

  dwccrew;909849 wrote:And miller proves that he should have been in all along. Yes out was Colorado, yes they are terrible but miller did more than Bauserman would have. Miller will be good in the future

  I didnt watch the whole game but from what i saw the dude could barely throw a spiral. He did look pretty good running the ball though.
• j_crazy

  

  Rotinaj;909880 wrote:I didnt watch the whole game but from what i saw the dude could barely throw a spiral. He did look pretty good running the ball though.

  
  Looked like denard running. Threw BAD passes but put the ball in good spots and seemed to make good reads. With a full arsenal in 2 weeks it should be fun to watch.
• Writerbuckeye

  

  He had at least 3 other passes that should have been completed, a couple for some significant yardage. His receivers dropped a few, and the really BAD ruling by the officials that the receiver did not have control out of bounds on a beautiful sideline pass was ridiculous. Honestly, I don't know what the hell these guys were looking at, but he held on to the ball until he hit the ground.
  
  Miller threw nice spirals during the Ohio playoffs last year, and was pinpoint on his passing. I expect as the whole thing slows down for him in college, we'll see the same thing.
• lhslep134

  

  I thought the cause of his lack of spiral could be attributed to nerves or maybe overwhelmingness, which is completely expected in a true freshman's first start. We babied the playbook, just like we did in Pryor's first start. Once we get everyone back and open up the playbook a little bit I'll be more excited.
• elbuckeye28

  lhslep134;910036 wrote:I thought the cause of his lack of spiral could be attributed to nerves or maybe overwhelmingness, which is completely expected in a true freshman's first start. We babied the playbook, just like we did in Pryor's first start. Once we get everyone back and open up the playbook a little bit I'll be more excited.

  I was thinking the same thing. Even a millisecond of second guessing may cause his mechanics to be off enough for him to lose the crispness he would normally have.
• centralbucksfan

  lhslep134;910036 wrote:I thought the cause of his lack of spiral could be attributed to nerves or maybe overwhelmingness, which is completely expected in a true freshman's first start. We babied the playbook, just like we did in Pryor's first start. Once we get everyone back and open up the playbook a little bit I'll be more excited.

  Completely agree with this post. Anyone who has watched Miller play since HS, knows he usually throws a VERY nice ball most of the time. I think its about being relaxed on the field. Once he continues to play more, he will be more relaxed. I am not worried about what he did yesterday throwing the ball at all. As pointed out, I think there were at least 3 drops. The kid has unbelievable feet. I said way back he reminds me of Troy Smith. Very, very quick. He is only going to get better. But there will be bumps in the road..to be expected for a true frosh.
• lhslep134

  

  centralbucksfan;910202 wrote: I said way back he reminds me of Troy Smith.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhDt75OXfc0#t=1m3s
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsAMXoBwk2k#t=27s
  
  It wouldn't let me embed them so just watch. First is Troy. Second is Braxton. Looks eerily similar.
• se-alum

  

  Braxton is an even better runner than I thought he was. He'll be fine throwing the ball, it seemed he was overthrowing and that was causing some of the wobbly passes. He threw some very nice passes as well.