Lets start by answering that question with another question. If I told you both players would miss time for each of their respective teams from an injury, suspension, or a reenactment of Liam Neeson’s hit film “Taken”, who’s loss would prove to be most detrimental to their team?
Because both teams lack any real depth at the quarterback position, both having freshman with little to zero experience behind their starters, both players disappearance would be enormous losses to their respective teams. It really boils down to the perception of expectations for each team, while one team strives to simply improve on last year’s 7-5 record, the other hopes to finally cash in on a perfect season, turning it into a championship run.
No arguing Hackenberg would be hard replace, but any above average performance by his backup could result in above .500 play yet again. Where as Miller’s freshman backups J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones would be hard pressed to keep the dream of a title run alive even with the great talent surrounding them.
After two record-breaking seasons, expectations for Miller are now higher than ever who has led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a perfect 16-0 record in regular season games in back-to-back seasons. Miller has done much more than limit his turnovers and let his defense do the dirty work as his six fourth-quarter and overtime game-winning drives (most by any active player in FBS) would indicate. Filling the giant shoes of his former teammate Terrell Pryor and then some, Miller has been a Big Ten killer in that sense, and has proven he is the heart and soul of a Buckeyes team that has demands the spotlight of the conference year in and year out.
The biggest and only real knock on Miller is even after two virtually perfect seasons he still does not have a national title on his resume. Two years ago wasn’t his fault as the team was banned by the NCAA from the tournament, while last year Miller and the team ran into a buzz saw after a red hot Michigan State Spartans squad shocked them in the Big Ten Title game.
While the nations number one quarterback recruit Hackenberg has big expectations heading into his second full year as the Nittnay Lion’s starter, that pressure is no where near the amount of criticism Miller will take if he can’t seal the deal by hoisting the ultimate trophy in his final year with the team.
So, who’s got more to prove between the battle of new school vs old school quarterbacks in the Big Ten conference? Its clearly Miller who must not just improve on last year’s statistics and records (like Hackenberg), but instead prove to himself and the rest of the nation that he can achieve the last thing left on his list, by winning the BCS Championship.