BLACKSBURG, Va. -- If there were any remaining doubts about Braxton Miller moving from quarterback to the "H-back" position in Ohio State's offense, they were vanquished here Monday night in a single, spectacular move.
At the tail end of college football's first weekend, Miller's Spin Heard ‘Round the World provided a highlight that'll be replayed until January. It also cemented the Buckeyes senior, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, in the new role he volunteered for in July.
"It was making up for lost time," Miller said after the No. 1 Bucks' 42-24 victory at Virginia Tech. "You could call it that."
The comeback's signature moment came with a little more than two minutes remaining in the third quarter and Ohio State leading by just four points in a tough road environment.
Miller took a direct snap from his own 47-yard line, bounced the play left to the far sideline and then cut upfield. When he reached the Virginia Tech 45, Miller said he noticed two defenders converging. So, in his words, he "set them up" for the video-game-quality spin move.
"Yeah, I saw them coming so I hit the circle button, or ‘B' button," said Miller, who added that he has played plenty of video-game football.
But this was real life.
Hokies defensive lineman Corey Marshall, all 6-foot-2 and 268 pounds, went flying past Miller. Linebacker Andrew Motuapuaka's momentum took him away from the redirected Miller, who sprinted the final 43 yards untouched to the end zone.
The Ohio State sideline erupted. So did the Lane Stadium press box. It was something even Virginia Tech fans had to appreciate.
Perhaps lost in the awe of the moment: It was also the score that put the game away, launching Ohio State -- which actually trailed by a field goal at the half -- to a 28-17 lead.
Miller already had a 54-yard touchdown catch earlier in the quarter. It was a mere go route, though; nothing compared to what was to come.
Starting quarterback Cardale Jones was so compelled by the play that he decided to mimic it on the sideline, playfully spinning around someone on OSU's support staff.
Jones was lined up as a receiver on the play. He said he was about to go downfield to block for Miller when he saw the spin.
"I said, ‘OK. He's back'," Jones said.
Bucks left tackle Taylor Decker finished a block, looked up and saw Miller's move.
"As soon as I saw him spin, I just looked at [center Jacoby Boren] and my jaw dropped open," Decker said. "We didn't necessarily forget, but it's been a while since we've seen those ‘wow' plays.
"He's going to be a threat for teams."
That's putting it lightly. Miller, who twice won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honor as a quarterback, finished with 140 total yards and the two scores that took the Bucks from down three to up 11.
And he did it with some style.
"I've been here four years, so I've seen him do all kinds of stuff," OSU co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said. "I don't know if I've seen that move, but hang around next week and you'll see something else."
