LARAMIE, Wyo.—Brandon Miller did so well in high school he practically forced the University of Wyoming to offer him a scholarship.
Miller did so well running with the football as a receiver during his redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons he practically forced the Cowboys to move him from wide receiver to running back.
And Miller has done so well through spring practice and the first part of fall camp he’s practically forced his way to the top of the running back depth chart.
The 6-foot, 187-pound sophomore probably won’t be a starter once the season begins with last year’s No. 1 back, Alvester Alexander, looking over his shoulder. But Miller appears to have earned some playing time in what has become a crowded and talented backfield.
“He’s done a great job,” UW coach Dave Christensen said. “With (Alexander’s) injury in the spring he was able to get more reps and, with the time he was playing, he really matured and developed as a running back. He learned how to finish runs, play physical, finish runs, practice hard every single rep in practice.
“He’s got good speed, versatility and he’s smart.”
Miller showed what Christensen was talking about in the three scrimmages held so far, rushing a combined 23 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He led the team with 55 yards and a touchdown during the spring game in April.
“I’m just making the best of the opportunity whenever the coaches are giving me a chance to get on the field,” Miller said.
Miller came to Laramie from Mountain Vista High School in Parker, Colo. As a senior he rushed for more than 1,300 yards, added 600 receiving yards and scored 25 touchdowns. He redshirted his first year at UW in 2009, then played in seven games last year.
Miller never caught a pass in 2010, but did run for 22 yards in the season finale against Colorado State. That was part of the impetus to move him to running back.
“It’s gone pretty smoothly,” Miller said of the transition. “Running the spread offense, the running backs line up a lot at wide receiver and run routes. The running game part of it has gone pretty smoothly, too.”
His versatility makes him a valuable addition to the backfield.
“He’s been there so he knows how to do that, he knows the schemes, he knows the routes that we’re running,” Christensen said. “And he catches the ball really well.”
Miller said he knows the competition in the backfield will be tough. Alexander looks like he’s getting healthy after a sophomore year where he ran for 792 yards and scored 14 touchdowns.
UW also moved linebacker Ghaali Muhammad to running back this spring and sophomore Tedder Easton and freshman Kody Sutton have looked good in practice.
But that didn’t stop Miller from embracing the change to running back. And it hasn’t stopped him from moving up the depth chart, either.
“I knew it was going to be a talented backfield and you were going to have to work for any playing time you could get,” Miller said. “I got some guys pushing me and I know I have to work every practice and can’t be content with it.”
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Information from: Laramie Daily Boomerang – Laramie,
