Harry Miller Will Be Critical Piece of Ohio State Offensive Line

[I]Every day until fall camp begins for Ohio State, we will profile a different Buckeye football player. Today that player is junior offensive lineman Harry Miller. Yesterday it was [URL=’https://buckeyescoop.com/linebacker-cody-simon-option-ohio-state-buckeyes/’]linebacker Cody Simon[/URL]. You can find all of the [URL=’https://buckeyescoop.com/tag/scoop-profiles’]daily Scoop Profiles right here[/URL].[/I]

[HEADING=1]Harry Miller[/HEADING]
No. 76 | Offensive Lineman | 6-4 315 | Junior | Buford High School | Buford, Georgia

[HEADING=1]How’d He Get Here[/HEADING]
Harry Miller was a 5-star signee out of Buford High School in Buford, Georgia. He was ranked the No. 2 center in the 2019 class and the No. 30 player overall. Miller hit it big on the recruiting scene in the spring and summer of 2017, landing offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Auburn, Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, and others. He took a number of unofficial visits during the 2017 season, including to Ann Arbor where he was privileged enough to witness a 14-10 win by Michigan State, knocking Michigan from the ranks of the undefeated. Miller took his official visit to Ohio State in April of 2018 and committed two months later. He won the backup center spot and played in all but one game as a true freshman in 2019. Last year he started at left guard and graded out a champion in half of his starts. [URL=’https://buckeyescoop.com/starting-left-guard-harry-miller-out-for-sugar-bowl/’]He missed the Clemson game[/URL] due to a positive COVID test.

[HEADING=1]Current Situation[/HEADING]
When the Buckeyes signed Harry Miller he was always viewed as the future at center. Last year, however, Ohio State had Josh Myers, so Miller played guard for the first time. He was a true sophomore starter on the offensive line at a position he didn’t really play the year before. Like almost all second-year starters on the offensive line, he had his ups and downs. There is still plenty of reason for optimism this year, however. The real question is will he line up at center or left guard? Right guard is spoken for thanks to sophomore Paris Johnson, so center and left guard will come down to the best and most productive fit between Miller, redshirt freshman Luke Wypler, and fourth-year junior Matt Jones. Miller was out this spring getting his shoulder cleaned up following an injury in the national championship game. Offensive line coach Greg Studrawa fully expects Miller to be one of the Buckeyes’ starting five on the offensive line, [URL=’https://buckeyescoop.com/spring-gleaning-ohio-state-offensive-line-buckeyes-five/’]but where that spot is may actually be up to Wypler and Jones[/URL].

[HEADING=1]What to Like[/HEADING]
Even before he arrived in the summer of 2019, Harry Miller was always ahead of the game. Within a couple of practices, he was already blowing away Greg Studrawa and Josh Myers with his ability to make calls and adjustments at center. The kind of praise Miller received as a true freshman is usually reserved for a JK Dobbins or some other rookie who is getting all kinds of playing time. Miller got plenty of decent snaps in 2019 and strengthened the confidence that everyone had in him. Now with a year starting at guard, he has the experience there that he didn’t have before. And if he ends up at center, that’s what everyone has been preparing for for years now anyway.

[HEADING=1]What’s the Ceiling This Year?[/HEADING]
If Harry Miller wins the center job this year, he’ll immediately be a Rimington Trophy candidate. Miller is a well-read person and that includes the Ohio State playbook. He’s strong and understands the defenses facing him in the trenches. His snapping was a bit surprising in the Michigan State game, but things eventually settled down and he was fine. Miller didn’t have those issues in 2019 so there’s no reason to expect anything crazy in 2021. If Miller is at guard, then he’s going to be an All-Big Ten candidate because of his experience and talent. He’s also going to be working next to left tackle Thayer Munford, which is never half bad.

[HEADING=1]And Beyond?[/HEADING]
Harry Miller has All-American potential as a center, and his potential as a guard isn’t that much different. He’s tall enough to provide the little bit of height that a guard needs and played tons of offensive tackle in high school, so his pass blocking is only getting better. Let’s not forget, the Big Ten coaches voted him Third-Team All-Big Ten last year, so they took notice of him. Miller will almost assuredly end his career as a three-year starter on the Ohio State offensive line and more accolades from the conference (and possibly beyond) will follow.