Coach: Miller Is Multi-Purpose Standout
Chris Miller is fast. He’s quick and apparently, he’s a quick learner as well.
The 2017 Texas athlete hasn’t played football long, but he’s played long enough to attract the attention of the biggest college programs around the country.
“He basically played football for four years, I would really say three and a half because he lives far away from school and his freshman year, was late getting to practice every day,” Miller’s coach at Denton High School, Kevin Atkinson said.
“He’s grown every year. He’s mature, he’s a hard worker. He’s very explosive.”
The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder committed to Colorado over the summer, but has fielded new interest and offers from programs like Notre Dame, Baylor, Ole Miss and, most recently, Texas. He took an official visit to Baylor last weekend, is scheduled to be in South Bend for an official this weekend and is slated to be at Ole Miss for an official next weekend.
Miller had never even played receiver until he caught about 50 balls for around 10 touchdowns.
“As a junior, I started him at corner and he played every third down at receiver just because I believe defense wins championships,” said Atkinson. “He did an outstanding job.
“This year, as a senior, he played probably 100 snaps a game. He didn’t come off the field offensively or defensively.”
Miller’s speed is the first thing schools notice, but his attitude is just as impressive, according to his coach.
“He is an unbelievable kid,” Atkinson said. “My son is senior, so he spends the night at my house all of the time. He’s a great kid. He’s an extremely hard worker. He’s a guy with a huge upside.”
Schools seem torn about whether to play Miller on offense, defense or both. We’re told Notre Dame likes him on defense, which is just fine with him.
“Usually, you have to talk kids into playing defense these days, but it doesn’t matter to him,” said Atkinson. “He likes playing defense, he likes playing offense. He just wants to contribute wherever he has a shot.”
Despite the pledge to Colorado, Atkinson believes Miller is “open,” and his visit schedule would seem to affirm that.
“Notre Dame is one of those programs, when they call, you listen,” the coach said. “He didn’t really know that until we talked. I always sit down and give some counseling to those guys because it’s their first time going through the experience. A lot of times, they aren’t as aware as coaches are. We tell them, ‘You need to listen to everything they say. You need to take a visit.’ So, I think he’s open.”
Atkinson said Miller has liked every place he’s been, including Baylor.
“For him, I think it’s going to come down to where he feels most comfortable, where he fits in and feels at home,” the coach said. “He’s a mature kid in the fact that he’s got his mind open. He’s immature in the fact that he’s one of those kids who didn’t grow up following college football and knowing the pageantry behind let’s say Notre Dame. So, he’s immature in that form because he just doesn’t know. What I always told him is, ‘You don’t know what you don’t know, so you need to go check things out to see what’s the best possible fit for you.’”
The coach expects Miller to learn plenty about Notre Dame this weekend.
“He understands the church part that goes along with Notre Dame,” Atkinson said. “He’s kind of learning about the tradition and the history of Notre Dame. I think when he goes and sees what rich traditions they have and the alum base and what a degree from the University of Notre Dame can do for you one day, I think that’ll be an eye-opener for him.”
Interestingly enough, Atkinson says there wasn’t any real break in contact with Notre Dame when Miller’s previous recruiter, Mike Sanford, left to take the head coaching job at Western Kentucky.
“I honestly thought there would be. When I saw him go to Western Kentucky, I thought, ‘Well, there goes Chris and Notre Dame.’ He said, ‘No, Coach, they’ve been keeping up and communicating.’”