By Robert Wilson
Madison Central’s Myles Miller is a state champion in powerlifting and the discus.
Now, Miller wants to win a state championship in football.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior linebacker did his share of taking another step toward his goal last week when he had 13 tackles, 11 solos and 2 assists, 4 tackles for loss and 1 sack to led Madison Central to a 31-8 victory over Starkville in a key MHSAA Class 7A, Region 2 game.
For his outstanding performance, Miller has been named the Junction Deli/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Football Player of the Week.
Miller’s big game helped Madison Central improve to 7-2 overall and 2-1 in region play. If the Jaguars can defeat Clinton (4-5 overall, 1-2 in region play) Friday, they will be the No. 2 seed and have a home game in the first round in next week’s 7A state playoffs.
Miller – a three-year starter – has made 70 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 8 sacks and 1 forced fumble this season. He is second on the team in tackles, tackles for loss and first in sacks.
“Myles has been a playmaker for our team all season,” Madison Central coach Toby Collums said. “He came up big once again Friday night. Myles is very disruptive and versatile player. He is also a leader in the locker room.”
“Myles came to play on Friday and was basically unblockable against a very good offensive lineman and a team with some great skilled players,” Madison Central defensive coordinator and linebacker coach Jay Livingston said. “He was disruptive all night and never allowed Starkville’s quarterback to feel comfortable. Myles made some huge plays for us in key moments.”
One of Miller’s biggest plays came in the third quarter when the game was still close, and Miller made a stop on fourth and 1 in Starkville territory.
“We had taken the lead and Starkville was deep in their own territory and decided to go for it,” Livingston said. “The play was run away from Myles, but he hustled down the line and met the quarterback in the backfield. We scored again afterwards to give ourselves a more comfortable lead. The stop Myles made was a pivotal moment in the game.”
Miller won the state championship in the 242-pound class (645 pounds in the deadlift and 625 pounds in the squat) and won the state title in the discus (a throw of 167 feet) last year as a junior.
He has offers from Alabama State, Mississippi College, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, East Central CC, East Mississippi CC, Itawamba CC, Jones County Junior College, Hinds CC, Mississippi Delta CC, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Northwest Mississippi CC, and Southwest Mississippi CC.
Miller has been selected to play in the Bernard Blackwell North-South All-Star Game December 21 in Gulfport.
Miller is the son of Terry Miller and Natasha Williams. Terry graduated from Jackson State with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a football player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by text or call to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
WEEK ONE: Samuel Stockett, MRA
WEEK TWO: Billy Puckett, Jackson Prep
WEEK THREE: James Farr, Clinton
WEEK FOUR: Tyshun Willis, Velma Jackson
WEEK FIVE: Josef Walker, Clinton
WEEK SIX: Caleb Unger, MRA
WEEK SEVEN: Pierce Ingram, St. Andrew’s
WEEK EIGHT: Justyce Williams, Murrah
WEEK NINE: Daniel Watkins, Northwest Rankin
WEEK TEN: John William Walker, St. Andrew’s
WEEK ELEVEN: Billy Puckett, Jackson Prep
