CHICAGO, Ill. – Buckeye quarterback Braxton Miller is the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, but OSU was shut out of the Coach of the Year award for the 34th year in a row.
Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio was selected Coach of the Year by both the coaches and media after leading the Spartans to an 11-1 record — 8-0 in conference play — and the Legends Division crown. The Spartans and Buckeyes play in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday in Indianapolis (8:17 p.m./FOX).
The fact that Dantonio won the award over OSU’s Urban Meyer could touch a sore spot for Buckeye fans. Meyer was passed up despite coaching Ohio State through a school-record 24-game winning streak and to a No. 2 ranking in the BCS. The last Ohio State coach to be named coach of the year was Earle.
Wisconsin’s Chris Borland was announced as the Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg as Freshman of the Year.
Miller has averaged 265 yards of total offense and accounted for 29 total touchdowns while leading Ohio State to a 12-0 record despite a knee injury early in the season. The junior from Huber Heights is Top 10 nationally and the Big Ten leader in passer efficiency with a 164.3 rating.