COLUMBUS, Ohio — What is Braxton Miller now, one year older and wiser and leading a new offense at Ohio State?

"I just feel like myself," the Buckeyes' sophomore quarterback said Tuesday.

Was he himself last year?

"Nah, not really," Miller said. "Toward the end a little bit."

A year after he was dropped into a tempest as a freshman, when throwing a spiral sometimes seemed like a challenge, Miller, under first-year OSU coach Urban Meyer, should have a chance to once again look like the guy who could throw it and run it as an elite high school quarterback. But he can't be only that. Meyer wants Miller to be himself, and then also a little something of what he is not.

A year ago, Meyer was one of ESPN's announcers for Ohio State's season opener, saying Miller would be his guy while Joe Bauserman started for the Buckeyes, and questioning why Miller wasn't on a headset and more involved with the game while he was on the sideline.

Now, Meyer has handed Miller the keys, and with complete trust demanded that he drive this team.

Meyer has seen a transformation like this before with Florida quarterback Chris Leak, whom Meyer began coaching after his sophomore season. As a senior, Leak led his team to a national title.

"Very good passer, not a very good leader," Meyer said. "Chris will tell you that. Became a good leader, won a national championship. This is not to throw Braxton underneath the bus, it's just what I saw. There wasn't a whole lot of leadership between him and the receivers. Now it's a much different animal."

This tiger has changed his stripes. Saturday, Meyer will let him out of the cage.

Buckeyes on move: Defensive lineman Nathan Williams passed some tests in practice this week and should be on track to play some Saturday, Meyer said. . . . Meyer said running back Rod Smith is very close behind Bri'onte Dunn in the race to be the No. 2 running back while Jordan Hall is out. . . . The head coach had said "Bloody Tuesday" would be the toughest practice day of game week, but running back Carlos Hyde said after practice Tuesday that Monday's was even more difficult. Cornerback Travis Howard said that when he first heard about Bloody Tuesday, all he wanted to do was survive it.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479