You know what you felt like when you heard the hushed silence.
You know what you thought when you saw No. 1 touch the football, whether it be via direct snap, handoff or down the field in the form of a scarlet streak.
Braxton Miller has a certain effect on people that can't easily be duplicated. When he got his hands on the football this past season, Ohio State fans collectively held their breath with the thought — no, the belief — that he had as close to a definite shot as possible to take it to the end zone for a touchdown.
The thought process became the norm even more than usual after the season opener at Virginia Tech, when he completed a spin move that sent the sports world into an Ohio State craze for the next week. After all, the guy has a pair of Big Ten Player of the Year awards in his trophy case.
But Miller is finally gone from Columbus, leaving an electric legacy in his wake. He now resides in Houston, a third-round pick of the Texans in the 2016 NFL Draft. A horde of NFL talent left the program with him following last season, including fellow receivers Jalin Marshall and Michael Thomas in addition to 2015 Silver Football winner running back Ezekiel Elliott.
All of those players were capable of hitting pay dirt in a blink. Now that they are gone, who left on the roster has the best chance of doing the same? Here are five.
J.T. Barrett, Quarterback
Everything on offense starts with the center and quarterback exchange, and J.T. Barrett is among the best in not only the Big Ten but the country at what he does. The 2014 Big Ten Quarterback of the Year battled Cardale Jones for the starting job last season after a broken ankle forced him out of the team's run to the national title, but now the offense is undeniably his.
Barrett is shifty, has a solid arm with great touch and returned to form the final two games of last season — a 42-13 thrashing of Michigan and 44-28 defeat of Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. In those games, he racked up 559 total yards and scored four touchdowns.
What Barrett does with his legs makes him nearly impossible to stop if he making the correct reads and he should be more comfortable throwing the ball without having to look over his shoulder.
It's pretty simple: As long as Ohio State has Barrett calling the shots, the offense has a chance to score on any given play whether it be through the air or on the ground.
Curtis Samuel, Running Back/H-back/Wide Receiver
What position is Curtis Samuel? Does it really matter?
OK, it matters quite a bit, but his explosiveness and solid hands all wrapped into a solid frame make him a tough player to defend. Samuel had to take a back seat last season to Miller at H-back and wide receiver, but with the exodus of talent gone from the offense should get plenty of opportunities to make plays this fall.
He is Ohio State's leading returning receiver with 289 yards and a pair of scores through the air, but also averaged 7.7 yards per rush in 2015. In 2014, he scored six rushing touchdowns and averaged 6.6 yards per carry.
The offense needs playmakers to step up with the departures of Elliott, Thomas, Marshall and tight end Nick Vannett. Barrett is an excellent distributor of the ball in Meyer's spread offense and would be wise to get it in Samuel's hands often in 2016 — regardless where he lines up.
Noah Brown, Wide Receiver
This section is written mostly on potential, but Brown didn't touch the ball all that much during his freshman season in 2014. A broken leg during fall camp last year cost him his sophomore season, but his teammates and coach speak often about how big a piece he was set to be for the offense.
Brown is an intriguing player for Ohio State fans because of how little they've seen him. That curiosity alone puts him this category, because we don't know his full potential.
Brown cut more than 20 pounds off his frame since his senior year of high school, and at 6-foot-2 possesses the ability to rise above defenders and make plays down the field. He expects to be 100 percent by training camp and if he get back to the level he was before the injury, expect Barrett to look his way early and often.
Torrance Gibson, Wide Receiver
Gibson showed his rare combination of speed and size during the 2016 spring game, his first public audition at wide receiver after committing to Ohio State as a quarterback as part of the 2015 recruiting class. He scored twice, once on a beautiful catch in the corner of the end zone from Joe Burrow and again on a pop pass where he outran the defense. Gibson's talent is on a special level.
However, he is still learning the ins and outs of playing receiver and needs to take more steps in his development to get on the field with some consistency this fall. The opportunity is there for him to make a difference on the outside for Barrett and the offense, a thought that is sure to have fans holding their breath when he gets the ball.
Gibson stands at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds but glides like a gazelle on an open plain. If he learns how to use his body to overpower defenders like Thomas did the past two seasons in Columbus, there isn't a limit to what he can do. Even Meyer thinks so.
Mike Weber, Running Back
Weber performed well during the spring game with limited chances — he scored touchdowns on two of his eight carries, doing so without starting linemen Pat Elflein and Billy Price blocking for him.
Weber is still in a battle with Bri'onte Dunn, but has the speed and low center of gravity to potentially break tackles and get out in the open field for large chunks of yards. Dunn can too, but isn't quite as explosive as Weber.
How will the running back duties be divided up in 2016? That remains to be seen, but Weber's ceiling is high.
Demario McCall, Running Back/H-back
McCall was his high school team's main source of offense the last two seasons, with North Ridgeville head coach Luke Durbin getting him the ball any way it could. His ability to cut through defenders and small gaps with his elusiveness and acceleration is special, so the smart money is on Meyer, Ed Warinner and Tim Beck weaponizing him in 2016.
McCall ripped off huge gains and long jaunts for touchdowns easily on more than one occasion in his high school career, so when he gets touches at Ohio State, he will be expected to do so again.
McCall is a bit undersized (5-foot-11 and 180 pounds), but is athletic enough to speed around defenders easily. Don't believe us? Watch his high school highlight tape.
Honorable Mention: James Clark, Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon
