Buckeyes proud of work, courage as Harry Miller opens up about mental health
COLUMBUS — Harry Miller is still a part of the Ohio State family.
Now more than ever, the significance has even more meaning to the Buckeyes.
For the first time since the former starting offensive lineman announced his medical retirement and detailed the mental-health issues that led to a suicide attempt, Ohio State coach Ryan Day addressed the situation and the role his program played in trying to help Miller through it. And while actually playing football again won’t be in the cards, the Buckeyes are still actively supporting him while also potentially finding a more permanent off-field role for him to make an impact.
“First off, when I think about the whole situation, the thing that makes me most proud is the work that Harry did to get this point,” Day said. “He certainly where he is right now a year ago. He did the work. What we did is put structures in place to help him — and to help all of our players. Just like if somebody tears their ACL or sprains their ankle, they need physical therapy. There are guys who need some work in the mental area. That’s really what happened. He did the work. We just put the structure together.
“We’re still trying to figure [the next step] out and what that means for him. The fact that he retired from football is one thing. But he still wants to be part of the program and find a way to make an impact. We don’t need to make that decision right now. We’re going to give it a little time and try to figure out what that is. But he certainly has a lot to give.”
Harry Miller already started that process with a courageous, thorough accounting of what he went through initially in the buildup to last season.
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The junior was then coming off a full year in the starting lineup at guard, and the former five-star recruit was widely projected to be sliding into the top spot at center before he was unexpectedly unavailable ahead of the opener at Minnesota. Miller revealed in haunting detail exactly why that was two weeks ago on social media and again in an appearance on the Today Show on Monday, and a mental-health cause that was already critically important at Ohio State now has even more awareness.
“You can imagine how emotional that is,” Day said. “It’s something that keeps you up at night for sure. There’s a lot that goes on with our players, but that’s part of coaching. People ask about the difference between the NFL and college — this is a great example. You have an opportunity to dive into the lives of people and try to help. This was a huge decision for Harry, and it took a whole year to kind of get to this point for him. You can tell how emotional he was about it, because football has been a huge part of his life. To step away was a big deal, and now he’s kind of repurposing himself. That’s not easy to do, but I’m proud of what he’s done. He’s got a lot to offer.
“We’re proud that he’s in a better place now than he certainly was at this point last year.”
Harry Miller has made it through that brutally difficult journey.
Now he and Ohio State are working together to figure out where it can lead them both next.
