Four months ago, Braxton Miller sat in front of a microphone and fielded questions about the possibility of winning the Heisman Trophy.
A guy that could run and pass, Miller was a terror to defend and the Big Ten’s two-time Offensive Player of the Year. But three weeks after he spoke to reporters, he spoke to a doctor who deemed him out for the season.
So how would the Ohio State football team replace Miller? With someone who plays just like him.
You’ve heard of Troy Smith, Terrelle Pryor and Miller. But the Buckeyes next dual-threat quarterback, and perhaps one of the best, leads his team into Saturday’s matchup against Michigan.
“Barrett is an outstanding quarterback,” said defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. “He’s very, very talented. He can throw the football. He can run it. He runs that offense very, very well.”
A redshirt freshman, Barrett was supposed to have one more year to learn under Miller and develop into Ohio State coach Urban Meyer’s system. But Miller re-injured his right shoulder — originally hurt against Clemson during the 2014 Orange Bowl — throwing a short pass in practice and then it was Barrett who was asked to step up.
Barrett, a Rivals four-star recruit, hadn’t even hoped to be here, though. Out of Wichita Falls, Texas, Barrett had grown up in the shadow of the Longhorns hoping to be the savior to an ailing program.
The playing opportunities were more likely at Ohio State, so he opted to wait his time out in the Big Ten. He still had to battle for his position in Columbus.
“Coach Meyer said we don’t have ‘game players,’ ” Barrett told the Sporting News. “I never heard of that in high school. He said, ‘You have to practice well to play here.’ ”
He grew from a player still struggling to find his role in an offense full of weapons, needing the second half to pull away from Navy and losing to Virginia Tech. Now, he’s the weapon.
More importantly, since that loss to Virginia Tech, the Buckeyes haven’t lost and could be headed to the College Football Playoff.
“I’m not amazed anymore,” said Ohio State coach Urban Meyer during Tuesday’s Big Ten teleconference. “I was early in the season. I really didn’t understand J.T. I didn’t really know him. He was in the program for a couple years, but a really quiet guy and kind of down the line on the depth chart.
“His preparation, his seriousness and leadership skills are outstanding.”
His development has been rivaled by few freshmen, entering Saturday with 33 passing touchdowns (second in the nation), 2,658 yards passing, a 64.8 completion percentage and nine rushing touchdowns on 849 yards.
“I think you look at the progression from the first start to going through the season,” said Michigan coach Brady Hoke, “and I think he’s done a great job in how they manage and what he wants and has to do offensively. He’s athletic obviously.”
Barrett has better stats than those of Smith, Pryor and Miller. In 12 games last year, Miller finished with 3,162 total yards, 63.5 completion percentage, 36 TDs, including five total touchdowns.
Even Smith, the lone Heisman Trophy winner of the three, finished with just 30 touchdowns and 2,542 yards passing.
“As a freshman, he’s doing some things that it took me an ample amount of years to grasp and have an understanding about,” Smith told ESPN.
So how do you prepare for a guy like Barrett? The same way you did for Miller.
“We’ve played against some great quarterbacks so our guys will be ready,” Mattison said.
The Wolverines have seen Miller last year and Notre Dame’s Everett Golson this year, but they haven’t seen a player like Barrett this season. Not a guy that makes plays with his arm and his legs. Not a guy that you need to draw an entire game plan around.
Not a guy that could be a Heisman Trophy winner. As a redshirt freshman.