Heisman Top 25: No. 1 Braxton Miller

Ohio State QB Braxton Miller’s skill combined with the lofty expectations heaped on the Buckeyes make him No. 1 on the Saturday Blitz Heisman Top 25. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Only 76 players in the history of college football have earned the designation of Heisman Trophy winners. First awarded in 1935, the Heisman Trophy is considered the sport’s pinnacle of individual achievement.

SaturdayBlitz.com is tracking the race to the 78th Heisman Trophy throughout the 2013 college football season via the Heisman Top 25. Every week throughout the season, we are tracking the progress of the contenders, both their on-field impact and media presence.

Just how good are QB Braxton Miller and Ohio State supposed to be in 2013? Well, Miller tops the preseason Heisman Top 25 despite the 2012 winner, Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel returning. Miller seemed destined for more consideration by midseason last year. NCAA sanctions that kept the Buckeyes from any serious national championship consideration – and the Big Ten’s inability to gain equal perception footing with leagues such as the SEC – meant Miller drifted out of the national consciousness. It also hurt his candidacy that he got injured in the penultimate regular-season game at Wisconsin and, about a month earlier, struggled against a subpar Purdue team.

Few questioned that Miller would be a perfect fit for Urban Meyer’s patented spread option attack. The rising junior wasted little time in proving those pundits correct. Not only did Miller throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in his first full season as QB1, he also led the Buckeyes to an undefeated season.

There are two major factors in Miller’s favor this season. For starters, he is projected to be the superstar of a team that many experts have penciled into the BCS National Championship Game. (And for those who want to poke fun, the award is handed out before Ohio State could run into a buzz saw from the SEC.) Secondly, history – especially recent history – shows that repeating as the Heisman Trophy winner (for whatever reason) is difficult. In recent years, Matt Leinart, Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow and Mark Ingram have tried. None have succeeded. Manziel must buck a trend to become the first player since Ohio State RB Archie Griffin (1974-75) to win the award twice.

Miller doesn’t have to complete a lot – or a high percentage – of passes to impact a game or to be effective. Three times last season, he completed fewer than 10 passes. Then again, when a quarterback rushes for 100 yards in half his games, completing passes isn’t exactly a necessity.

Miller might not have the celebrity, glitz and glamour of the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, but he doesn’t bring forth the constant media circus and attention, either. It took the best SEC defenses seasons to catch up to what Meyer did at Florida. There’s no reason to believe Big Ten units will solve the offense any faster. If they don’t, Miller is in for an even bigger 2013 on a team some consider destined for the championship game.

How Braxton Miller Wins The Heisman

As with so many other candidates, everything for Miller starts with team success. As much as the Heisman Trophy is not necessarily supposed to be a “Most Valuable Player” award, it often falls into that category by the time voting concludes. With the colossal expectations on Ohio State, Miller needs to help his team live up to the hype – perhaps an unfair prerequisite, but one voters will likely consider.

Secondly, Miller must improve his statistics. Doing so seems perfectly plausible considering last year was Miller’s first in Meyer’s system. Now he has a full year-plus under his belt in the offense. A 3,000-1,500 (passing-rushing) season certainly seems to be well within Miller’s reach. He also has some tremendous running mates, led by one of the best running back stables in college football.

Statistical Overview

• 148-254, 2,039 yards, 15 TDs, 6 INTs in 2012

• 227 carries, 1,271 yards, 13 TDs in 2012

• 233-411, 3,198 yards, 28 TDs, 10 INTs in career

• 386 carries, 1,986 yards, 20 TDs in career

Compared To Past Heisman Winners

Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, 2012: Another true dual-threat quarterback, Manziel and Miller bring comparable skill sets to the table. A scenario in which the two players share the stage at Radio City Music Hall is easy to envision. The only freshman in NCAA history to bring home the Heisman Trophy, Manziel lit up opposing (SEC) defenses both through the air and on the ground. All Manziel had to do to become the first freshman to ever win a Heisman was throw for 3,706 yards and 26 TDs and run for 1,409 yards and 21 TDs. Oh, and there was the small feat of playing out of his mind in leading the Aggies to a road win at No. 1 Alabama.

Tim Tebow, Florida, 2007: Ohio State coach Urban Meyer produced a Heisman Trophy winner before in Tebow. During his Heisman Trophy season, Tebow threw for 3,286 yards (completing 67 percent of his passes), 32 TDs and just 6 INTs. He also rushed for 895 yards and 23 TDs. Where Miller and Tebow might differ is that Tebow’s team disappointed coming off Florida’s 2006 BCS National Championship run, going 9-3. Miller, to win the award, will likely need to lead the Buckeyes to at least an 11-1 regular-season record simply because they are such prohibitive favorites to win the Big Ten.