Considered a Heisman Trophy candidate after a stellar junior year in which the Buckeyes went undefeated in the regular season, Miller's absence could be devastating to an Ohio State team that had legitimate national championship hopes this year.
NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandt first reported the news via Twitter:
Sports Illustrated later reported the injury is a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
The loss of Miller for the year puts the weight of the Buckeyes' season on redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett, whose first task will be to handle Navy in a season opener on Aug. 30. A week later, he'll face a much tougher opponent in Virginia Tech. According to Brandt, Ohio State fans shouldn't expect Barrett to match Miller's level of play. Given their lack of experience, Barrett and fellow backup Cardale Jones are hardly prepared to carry a relatively young Buckeyes offense to college football's inaugural four-team playoff.
Miller has passed for more than 2,000 yards and rushed for more than 1,000 in each of the last two seasons for Ohio State, leading the team to back-to-back 12-0 regular seasons. Although he's not considered an elite NFL prospect as a passer, his athleticism will make him an intriguing evaluation for NFL scouts when he enters the NFL draft.
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