Miller to start Saturday

By Dustin Dearman, Herald Staff

Oh! How 12 plays and 98 yards can change things.

For junior quarterback Tommy Miller it took that plus three years to hit the spotlight.

With just over seven minutes to play in the game Saturday, Miller trounced onto the Indian Stadium turf to take command under center. This was the first time Miller had actual game experience. He threw 4-5 for 51 yards and ran for six yards one of which included the game winning option keeper that put the ball in the endzone.

"I wasn't thinking how long it was. I came out on that first play, I looked down, and I noticed that I was in my own endzone. I was thinking, 'Be smart with the football,'"

Offensive coordinator Phil Davis saw the team as a whole find a second wind when Miller stepped in for the inconsistent Elliott Jacobs at quarterback.

"When he went in the whole football team, not just the offensive guys the defensive guys too, thought we really had a chance," Davis said. "He went in and they really encouraged him to go on in the game and we felt it was kind of gave us a lift which we needed at that time."

Fifth-year Head Coach Joe Hollis wasted no time at the end of ASU's 34-31 victory over Idaho to announce that Miller was going to call the signals for the Tribe the following weekend against Sun Belt Conference favorite Middle Tennessee State.

Hollis wants Miller to know that he is doing a fine job but not to let all of the recognition go to his head.

"When people put their arm around you and tell you how good you are, kick them in the shins. Because, those are the same people that will be getting on you when you don't play well," Hollis said.

After spring practice Miller was slated as the Indians' # 1 quarterback and was quickly bumped down to # 3 when freshmen Josh Driscoll and Jacobs stepped on campus.

"As a player you always feel you need to be in. It's Coach Hollis' decision and I respect that. It's his job. He's the one making a living doing this," Miller said.

Driscoll went down in the game against North Texas with a broken collar bone and will be out for the remainder of the season.

Miller has spent all of his playing time on special teams mostly holding field goals and extra points. He started all 11 games last season and five in 1999.

Coming from Mountain Home where he was coached by his father in high school, Miller is now bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as he will make the first start in his college football career.

"This is why everybody plays. They want to be here. I like the attention. You can't let it go too far though. You try to be focused and know what your goal is.