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Florida redshirt freshman Jack Miller II will make his first career start for the Gators during the Las Vegas Bowl.
Miller will step in for Anthony Richardson Dec. 17 against Oregon State. Richardson declared for the NFL Draft on Monday after starting 12 games for the Gators (6-6).
Miller, a transfer from Ohio State in December, did not play this season. He broke his thumb in August. Following surgery, Miller was scheduled to return in late September, but instead required additional recovery time to re-establish the grip strength to hold and throw a football.
The 6-foot-3, 211-pound Miller was a 4-star prospect at Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Ariz., and the nation’s 13th-ranked pro-style quarterback in the 2020 class.
He committed to Ohio State, where he appeared during five games in 2021 as the backup to Heisman finalist C.J. Stroud. Miller completed 7-of-14 passes for 101 yards and rushed 7 times for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Miller earned first-year coach Billy Napier’s praise in March, calling his signing “a good decision” in light of 2021 starter Emory Jones’ departure during the first week of spring practices.
Miller struggled during the April 14 spring game, finishing 13 of 23 for 123 yards and an interception. But Napier praised Miller’s improvement early in preseason practices prior to his thumb injury late in the second week of camp.
The Gators are down to just two scholarship quarterbacks following Richardson’s decision and last Friday’s dismissal of Jalen Kitna for his arrest and charges related to child pornography.
Walk-on quarterback Kyle Engel and first-year signal caller Max Brown will serve as Miller’s backup.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osgators.
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