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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 8/22/17 at 10:30 am to TideSaint
Posted on 8/22/17 at 10:30 am to TideSaint
quote:
CUB TO A BEAR
At Jackson-Olin, coach Tim Vakakes taught Miller the proper lifting technique. T.D. Moultry, his 2016 teammate and current Auburn linebacker, showed Miller how to handle the recruiting limelight, and how to lead his peers.
Now, it's all up to Miller.
Moultry inspired him last season, telling Miller he expected him to become stronger than him. Moultry then set a herculean-level effort for Miller to follow and eventually, surpass.
"Seeing him benching more than me, squatting more than me, just made me think, 'Hey I have to step it up,'" Miller said.
Said Vakakes: "It took awhile for him to catch on in the weight room and really embrace it... I put him with TD for a reason; so he could see what 'elite' looks like. That's how they work, that's how hard they lift, they don't skip reps.
"If he ever embraces it 100 percent - he's embraced it, and developed his body, turning himself into an elite prospect - but if he ever fully embraces it, he's a first-day guy in the (NFL) draft. That's the kind of talent he is."
Miller remembers sending a workout video to Moultry the day he passed him in the weight room. Nowadays, Miller tosses weight room plates around like so many pillow on his mom's sofa.
"Wake up every day with a good mindset," Miller said. "Go hard every day. Go harder than the person beside you. A lot of things aren't given to you, so you have to take it. Go out, keep grinding, keep going."
Speaking of workouts, Miller's gym idol is James Harrison, a future Hall of Fame linebacker with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harrison's creative and entertaining workout videos, from tossing a medicine ball over a volleyball net and one-handed barbell shoulder presses, inspire and educate Miller.
"I think that's why I like him," Miller said of Harrison, a two-time Super Bowl winner and five-time Pro Bowler. "He does stuff that catches my eye. Some of the things he does, we started doing it in here. I even begged my dad to buy me his jersey."
Miller has never worn his Harrison jersey. He just wants to get it signed.
1
Posted on 8/22/17 at 10:31 am to TideSaint
quote:
MINI FRIDGE?
Only two interior linemen have been named Mr. Alabama Football, awarded annually by the Alabama Sports Writers Association since the award's inception in 1982 - Huffman's Andre Smith in 2005 and Blount's DeMarco McNeil in 1998.
Miller could be next. He's a dominating defensive lineman with hip strength that has attracted most of college football to his Birmingham high school. Plus, he runs the rock an extra-large Wildcat quarterback in goal-line situations.
Back in the summer of 2016. Miller, new at Jackson-Olin, listened as offensive teammates, giddy and excited, gave him news from offensive meetings. In addition to his defensive line duties, Miller was slotted to play in a short-yardage/ goal line package.
"That's 90 Under?" he asked. He thought about it more. "What am I getting myself into? Man, this is going to be crazy, touching the ball."
In practice, Miller and the offense, loaded with defensive players in this special package, faced more than 11 scout team defenders to get ready for Friday night.
Guess it worked. Miller played fullback then Wildcat quarterback, daring defenders to bring him down.
Miller didn't just touch the ball. He became a new-age William "Refrigerator" Perry for Jackson-Olin, scoring 12 touchdowns as the Mustangs went 8-2 during the regular season and earned its first playoff berth since 1998.
"So, it was just crazy," Miller said. "I didn't expect I was going to score that many touchdowns. I just went out there and ran the ball. It was good, just getting the ball, helping the team be better, win games, continue (more) to the win. (But) it was crazy."
As a two-way player, Miller, now up to to 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, enters 2019 as a Mr. Football candidate.
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