As for the number, Miller spoke to ESPN about the change earlier Monday before the Buckeyes opened opened training camp with a 3 p.m. practice.
“I changed my number because I feel like it’s a change for me, my family and Buckeye Nation,” Miller said. “I just wanted a new start, restarting myself, and I don’t want to remember what happened a couple years ago with my shoulder situation. I’ve got some bad memories, so I just wanted something where I could move forward and look forward to with the excitement of a new beginning.”
Miller suffered a labrum tear in his throwing shoulder last August less than two weeks before the season opener against Navy. Rather than compete with J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones for the quarterback job he held for three seasons, Miller decided to change positions.
Jones said Miller looked like someone playing wide receiver for the first time Monday.
“Of course, he’s going to show speed,” Jones said. “Of course, he’s going to show quickness and he can catch the ball. But it’s more than that at wide receiver. It’s understanding depth of routes and getting in and out of breaks, stuff like that.”
Twitter break: Jones may be even better at Twitter than he is at football. He has publicly courted UFC champion Ronda Rousey via Twitter. He scolded Barrett on Twitter on Saturday for taking his apartment keys to Texas and leaving him locked out for four hours.
On Sunday, though, Jones said he will take a Twitter break for two weeks.
“This is what I want to do all day every day: 24-7 football,” Jones said. “Social media and everything else can wait.”
Replacing Bosa: Ohio State suspended defensive end Joey Bosa and three other players — Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson and Corey Smith — for the season opener against Virginia Tech on Sept. 7.
Coach Urban Meyer said sophomore Jalyn Holmes and redshirt freshmen Sam Hubbard and Darius Slade have the best chance to start in Bosa’s place.
Elliott's backup: Meyer said junior Bri'onte Dunn is the top candidate to back up Ezekiel Elliott at running back and that Curtis Samuel, who has moved to hybrid back, will also get reps.
First impressions: The freshmen practiced first Monday morning. Meyer liked what he saw from linebackers Nick Conner, Justin Hilliard and Jerome Baker and said he could see them contributing at some point this season.
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