Aug 25, 2014 03:50 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Braxton Miller may not be playing football for the Ohio State Buckeyes this season, but he will be a team captain and serve as an additional leader on the sidelines.

According to ESPN, players on the Buckeyes voted highly for Miller to make him a captain, but he could not make the team meeting Monday. Instead, he was in Florida for a prep meeting with Dr. James Andrews, who will perform Miller's shoulder surgery Tuesday.

Expected to return for one final season next year, Miller will perform his duties as a team captain whenever he can. He is set to finish his degree at Ohio State in Dec., but will enroll in graduate school to stay eligible for his final year of college football.

"Braxton Miller was the high vote-getter," Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer told ESPN. "He's down getting surgery. He met with the doctor, I got a text this morning that he met with Dr. Andrews today. Surgery is set for tomorrow."

Miller will not travel with the team to Baltimore, Md. for the team's season opener against the Navy Midshipmen. With true freshman J.T. Barrett given the reigns as the starting QB, the three-year starter should prove to be a valuable mentor.

"He'll be one of the 70 [on the travel roster this season] if he can go," Meyer said. "He won't be able to go this time, but there will be times where we'll have to make that decision."

Miller's surgery will repair a torn labrum that has ended his season before it even began. The star QB first hurt his shoulder last season during the Discover Orange Bowl and he reinjured it throwing a pass in a non-contact practice.

The good news for the Buckeyes is Miller should be able to attend the team's three straight home games against Virginia Tech, Kent State and Cincinnati weeks two through four. Ohio State has important road games against Penn State, Michigan State and a season-ending home matchup with archrival Michigan.

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