COLUMBUS, Ohio >> Rainbow Warriors beware, Braxton Miller has plans for you.
The Ohio State H-back would like to give the University of Hawaii defense a supporting role in his next viral video highlight clip.
Just days after dominating the TV and social media with a can-you-believe-this spin move that he sprung for a 53-yard touchdown run against Virginia Tech on Monday night, Miller suggested that for his next trick he’d like to posterize UH on Saturday in their nonconference game at Ohio Stadium.
"I just want to get better. I can’t wait until Saturday, against Hawaii, to showcase more talent," Miller said amid a crush of media at the Buckeyes’ practice facility.
It is a re-branded and re-energized 6-foot, 2-inch, 215-pound Miller, who, until Monday night, had been the forgotten quarterback at talent-rich Ohio State.
Never mind that he was 28-8 as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback over three seasons, a third-place finisher for the Heisman Trophy in 2012, ninth in 2013 and expected to contend with Marcus Mariota for the 2014 award.
When Miller went down with a shoulder injury in August a year ago he watched from the bench as, first J.T. Barrett and, then, Cardale Jones emerged at quarterback.
Barrett led the Buckeyes to the Big Ten title game before he, too, was injured and Jones became the rising star guiding Ohio State past Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon en route to the inaugural College Football National Championship.
When the quarterback deck was reshuffled, Miller, a fifth-year senior, was the odd man out behind the two younger players, moving to H-back. It was a move designed to lessen the logjam at quarterback and give him an opportunity to try to salvage hopes of a pro career.
Then, in the season opener at Virginia Tech, his first game in 20 months in which he was expected to play a cameo role in his new position, he took over the stage with 140 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. The most spectacular being the 53-yard weave through the Hokies’ defense with a spin move.
"It was devastating what happened to my shoulder (in 2014) and stuff like that," Miller said. "And, then , all the emotion that’s hit me, just being back up there with the guys and making plays and high-fiving with everyone on the sideline. (All of a sudden), it just felt like I didn’t miss a beat."
"I love Braxton Miller," coach Urban Meyer gushed.
Teammates imitated Miller’s move on the sidelines and in the locker room. Students demonstrated it on campus.
"It’s a cool thing. Everyone was hitting me up and stuff like that. It’s cool to see that when I do something good on the field, people notice it," Miller said.
Social media exploded.
"I saw it on Facebook, I saw it on Snapchat, I saw it on Instagram, I saw it on Twitter," Buckeyes tackle Chase Farris said.
Miller, however, didn’t see the endless replays on TV sports shows.
"The thing is, I ain’t got cable. I felt blessed. I felt like I want to do it again."
Meyer has pledged to find ways to get the ball in Miller’s hands and Farris, for one, expects an encore or two. "Braxton is Braxton — at any given moment it could be a house call."
Buckeyes offensive coordinator Ed Warriner promised reporters, "Hang around (Saturday), you’ll see something else."
Consider the ‘Bows warned.
