Junior quarterback Braxton Miller (5) hands the ball off during a game against Buffalo Aug. 31, at Ohio Stadium. OSU won, 40-20.
Credit: Ritika Shah / Assistant photo editor
Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer said whether or not to play Braxton Miller will be a game time decision for Saturday’s matchup against California (1-1).
Meyer said he remains fairly optimistic Miller will be available come game time. Miller left last weekend’s win over San Diego State with a sprained left MCL, but has been practicing in limited fashion this week with a support on his injured knee.
“(His knee’s) a little unstable. He’s getting used to that brace,” Meyer said Wednesday after practice.
Meyer also said he and his staff would have a better sense of Miller’s progress as the week went on, but that ultimately the decision of who will start at quarterback will be made near the time of Saturday’s kickoff.
When asked, Meyer did not rule out the possibility of starting redshirt-senior backup quarterback Kenny Guiton.
Some of Miller’s defensive teammates said he looked decent on the practice field this week.
“Braxton looks good, I’ve seen him throw the ball a few times. I think he’s really just focused on getting back so he can be ready,” said senior safety Christian Bryant.
Junior linebacker Ryan Shazier said Miller has not been testing his knee the past couple of days, but he has been working on other facets of his game.
“He looked like Braxton, throwing the ball and everything. He didn’t really do too much running.”
Aside from the questionable status of their signal caller’s left knee, multiple players said they are right where they want to be in preparation for their first road test of the season.
“We’ve been locked in since Tuesday,” Bryant said, then added the team had “great practices” both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Shazier said the first road game of the year is a good test for the underclassmen on the squad.
“We’re just going to see how some of the guys (react) going on the road to another environment,” Shazier said. “It’s going to help us build for this season, for when we have to travel.”
OSU is set to take on the Golden Bears at 7 p.m. Saturday in Berkeley, Calif.
