Seldom has the QB situation at Ohio State been this muddled. In previous years, the Buckeyes have come in with an established play caller behind center. This year would have been no different as senior-to-be and Heisman hopeful Terrell Pryor was scheduled to come back and lead the Buckeyes on another National Title run. However, a wrench was thrown into things with Pryor’s 5 game suspension. So now the big question is: Who gets the start?
Well, the easy choice would be to start the player with the most experience - and that would be Joe Bauserman. Of all the returning players, outside of Pryor, Bauserman has the most experience. Over his last 3 years at OSU, he has 25 completions for 320 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, and has been sacked 5 times. Most of those stats came when Bauserman was in “mop-up” duty last season, or when Pryor suffered minor injuries. Those stats are not inspiring. Two of the last three successful quarterbacks at OSU - Troy Smith and Pryor - have been mobile. They have made plays happen when nothing has been available. That being said, in my opinion, Bauserman, while more athletic than most people think, does not have the “escapability” that is quickly becoming necessary to succeed in major college football.
This need for elusiveness takes us to the next two players, whom I believe should be up for the job. First, I would like to look at the other veteran, Kenny Guiton. Kenny was a lightly recruited, athletic QB out of Houston. Kenny is considered a dual-threat QB with a good arm. He had a very good spring game last year, but was unable to unseat Bauserman as the #2 behind Pryor. As the #3 QB, Guiton does not have deep stats at OSU. However, in high school, he was a district MVP, and led his Houston team to the Texas State Playoffs. During his junior and senior years, he ran a spread offense with a little option added in. His father is a coach, he is a smart young man, and he is eager to continue learning the game. Between the two veterans, Guiton is the closest to Pryor’s style and similar offensive sets can be used, creating an easier transition when Pryor returns.
Now there is the wild card, the player everyone is talking about - freshman Braxton Miller. Miller was as highly recruited as any QB in the country. Before choosing OSU, he also considered such powerhouses as Florida, Alabama, Georgia, USC, and ND. He was an Under Armour All-American and is an early enrollee at OSU. Since he arrived this January, he has been able to study the offense, watch film, and be around the team. Most importantly he has been able to participate in spring practice. He has a strong arm, and is very athletic. As one recruiting site - Scout - states, Miller could beat a team rushing for 0 yards or he can run a wishbone. He has the ability to beat a defense deep, which also can help open up the running game.
However he is still young and must work on his accuracy and consistency. Youth can be a factor here, as no true freshman, since Art Schlicter has started a season opener for the Buckeyes. Even though Tressel won’t be there for these opening games, you had better believe he will be the one making the decision on which player starts at quarterback, and through the years, Tress has shown a preference to go with experience over youth and hype. However, on the flip side, something working in favor of Miller, is Pryor’s playing history. As a freshman, he climbed up the depth chart until he eventually replaced senior starter Todd Boeckman. If Miller impresses enough this spring and summer, and Bauserman and Guiton struggle, Miller could get the nod.
One thing working in Ohio State’s favor is their early season schedule. The Buckeyes open at home against Akron and Toledo. In these two games all three QBs can and should get plenty of playing time - hopefully with the other number ones on offense. The coaches, both on the field and on tape, should get ample chances to watch and study each player, and make a final decision who the #1 QB will be at the first away game at Miami (FL).
In my opinion, the depth chart should look like this (1-4) for the first game: Guiton, Miller, Bauserman, and at #4 Taylor Graham. I gave the opening game nod to Guiton over Miller, because even though they have similar skill sets, and Miller was much more highly recruited, Guiton has a bit more experience working with the players that will be on the field. However, I believe this depth chart will be fluid and the top two can easily be flipped. I dropped Bauserman to 3rd because in the one game, Illinois, where he had a meaningful playing time (Pryor got hurt), he did not play well. In significant playing time, he was 1-2 for 1 yard with 1 interception. In my eyes, another thing working against Bauserman, surprisingly is his age. I believe he is not the QB of the future for OSU. Graham, whom I have not mentioned before, is at #4 because his skill set does not fit right now and has a cannon for an arm. In addition, he is a skilled pocket passer yet is the least mobile of the group.
So Guiton, Miller, or Bauserman? What a fan should be hoping for is no losses, no injuries, and possibly a young gun making his presence felt and keeping the Buckeyes future bright.
