The most interesting position competition in college football seemingly cleared up a bit Thursday night, thanks to Braxton Miller and some practical thinking.

Weeks after announcing he will remain an Ohio State Buckeye for his final season, Miller announced he will no longer remain a Buckeye quarterback, telling Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel that he's moving to wide receiver and also will work as a returner.

While coach Urban Meyer was less definitive about the move, telling The Columbus Dispatch that discussions about the switch have taken place but "I haven't made those decisions yet," it seems the two-time Big Ten offensive player of the year, who led Ohio State to a perfect season in 2012 and two division titles as a quarterback, will spend the fall catching passes rather than throwing them.

If that's the case, Ohio State's quarterback race would be down to two: Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett.

This is the right move both in the short term for Miller and Ohio State, and likely in the long term for Miller and his NFL future. The scariest scenario for Buckeye opponents -- that two and possibly all three Ohio State quarterbacks take the field at the same time -- moved closer to reality. After being forced to spend the entire 2014 season on the sideline, Miller's move would ensure that -- barring another health setback -- he'd be part of the action in multiple ways this fall.

What many seemed to overlook when Miller tore his labrum weeks before the 2014 season was the severity and timing of the injury. A labrum tear typically requires a minimum 12-month recovery, and many require much longer to get back to 100 percent. Many teams wanted Miller to play quarterback this season, but his shoulder wouldn't let him. The timing to play quarterback this season, especially at another school, never lined up.

Miller told SI he's more than two months away from being fully recovered to play quarterback. Although he'll spend part of preseason camp with the signal-callers, he said he'll spend most of his time with the wideouts.

"It's a long process to get back totally to throwing and throwing every day," he told SI. "This is the smarter thing for right now, God blessed me with a lot of talent and different opportunities. I'm going to have fun with that and still score a lot of touchdowns and help the team out and be dominant at that."

How good will Miller be at wide receiver? There could be some hiccups, but there's also truth to what he told The Columbus Dispatch about being "the best athlete in college football." Few players are more explosive in space, and the H-back element of Miller's role gives Meyer the chance to get creative. Miller should be an electric punt returner and change field position with his presence. Ohio State has good depth at receiver and doesn't need Miller to be Superman.

Quarterbacks are typically confident, stubborn types. It's why so many transfer when they don't occupy starting roles. Miller owns seven individual Big Ten awards for what he did as a quarterback. He showed tremendous maturity by recognizing the reality of his situation and the best path to take. Others might have transferred or rushed back to the quarterback spot prematurely.

There still will be plenty of Ohio State quarterback intrigue with Jones and Barrett. But repping three players in practice isn't feasible for any length of time. Meyer and his offensive staff can more thoroughly evaluate their two options before choosing whom to start against Virginia Tech on Sept. 7. The Jones-Barrett decision likely will cause less locker room friction than one that would have involved Miller, a fifth-year player who carried Ohio State's offense for two seasons and essentially lost his job because of injury.

Also, depending on his health, Miller could still provide a change-up at quarterback later in the season.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen, who served as Meyer's offensive coordinator at Florida, spoke somewhat prophetically Tuesday about the Buckeyes' quarterback situation.

"It helps if the one guy's willing to do other things on the field," Mullen said. "That certainly helps. I'm not saying he isn't going to do things at quarterback, but willing to do some other things. ... You've got to do what's best for the team to win."

A Big Ten defensive coordinator told me Thursday night that the move is good for both Miller and Ohio State. It's not so good for Buckeye opponents, who could have benefited from the murkiness surrounding Ohio State's quarterback situation and the possible consequences of it, including splintering within the locker room.

Miller couldn't directly help Ohio State win a national title last season. His decision to switch positions makes the Buckeyes' quest for a repeat just a little less tricky.