Miller named Offensive Player of the Year
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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On Monday, Urban Meyer said that he doesn't think Braxton Miller has even reached his potential yet. If the Ohio State head coach is right, then the future for the Buckeyes' quarterback could be a scary one for opposing teams moving forward.
Despite self-admittedly having not yet peaked, Miller was named the Big Ten's Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, becoming the first Ohio State player to win the award since quarterback Troy Smith won it in 2006. The award will be added to the sophomore quarterback's growing trophy case, which already includes the conference's 2011 Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year Award, a 2012 first-team All-Big Ten selection from the media, and this year's Big Ten Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year Award.
"It's one step closer to all the goals that I want to reach playing football," Miller said of winning his latest honor. "There's a lot more things that I still got to work at."
In his first season in Meyer's spread offense, Miller threw for 2,039 yards and 15 touchdowns, while completing 58.3 percent of his passes. The Huber Heights, Ohio native added 1,271 yards and 13 touchdowns with his feet, breaking Ohio State's single season record for total offense and leading the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 record in the process.
"It means a lot," Miller said of his accomplishments in 2012. "I've started achieving my goals and I still haven't reached them yet, and I've still got a lot of things to work on."
According to Meyer, those "things" that his quarterback still needs to work on include his mechanics, which he believes could be the difference between Miller being an All-Big Ten player and an All-American selection. The two-time national champion head coach said that it could be "comical" what Miller will be able to do if he pairs a refined passing game with his already dangerous running abilities.
"If he becomes fundamentally the best quarterback in America, he will be the best quarterback in America," Meyer said of Miller. "But he's not doing that (right now). It's my job as the head guy to find out why is that not happening."
Miller agreed with his coach's assessment, and said that he's already pinpointed certain areas of his game that he needs to work on in the offseason with Meyer and OSU offensive coordinator Tom Herman.
"Coming from Coach Meyer, he knows the best, so I'm going to go with his word. I've just got to work on my mechanics and throwing habits. Minor things I've got to work at and get the ball into the playmakers' hands," Miller said. "Stay on my reads a little bit longer in the passing game. Quit being antsy so time in the pocket with my feet. Just minor things I've got to be work on and I'll be good."
If Miller can in fact improve on those things, then the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award finalist could be in for an even more impressive junior season, that would likely see honors move post All-Conference selections, and towards the lofty goals that both he and his coach have for himself.
"The potential that I have, I haven't really reached all of the things that I can accomplish yet," Miller said. "Just taking it one day at a time and getting better."
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