Yesterday (September 7), was the five-year anniversary of the Braxton Miller spin move. What should not be lost in that one moment, however, is that it was Miller’s first game back after one and a half years out of the game. He tore up his throwing shoulder twice trying to get back on the field. The setback actually caused the former Ohio State star to switch positions to H-back.
Don’t let anyone tell you switching positions — especially your senior year — is anything to sneeze at. It takes hard work, film-study, and honing of a new craft to be effective, but Miller and his coach Urban Meyer felt it was the right move.
Meyer was asked about watching Miller pull off that spin move against Virginia Tech and what was going through his mind as it unfolded. And the former Ohio State head coach went deeper with it. He said watching Miller have success after being out and fighting through adversity is one of the reasons he got into coaching.
“Well, to this day, the worst part of coaching to me is when a player gets hurt,” Meyer told host Rob Stone. “You know, the injury factor, and Braxton — people don’t realize that was the first game he played in a year and a half. He was with us seven games before the first game in ’14, the year we won the national championship. His labrum pops the second time, and he’s done.
“And Braxton’s like a family member — I love Braxton Miller. I always will and that’s my guy … When I see a player do what he did — the selflessness — he changed positions, and to have him rewarded. You know, at the end of the day, why do you coach? That’s why I coach.”
"It was probably one of the best moments in my life."
5 years ago today, @OhioStateFB's @BraxtonMiller5 pulled off one of the most iconic spin moves of all time 🌪 pic.twitter.com/W2f2xkPtr6
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 7, 2020
So while the spin move was an iconic moment during Miller’s career, it was much more than that for Meyer. It’s clear the satisfaction he gets out of his players working through tough times and coming out the other end a better person and player is one of the things that drove him as a head coach.
