Location is Key for a Florida Safety
Moving can be very different for anyone, especially if it is from Pennsylvania to Florida. Recently, Class of 2015 safety Reid Miller (5’11” 195 lbs.) decided to pack his bags and head from the WPIAL to the Sunshine State to attend IMG Academy for his senior football season.
Dreambackfield.com caught up with Reid to talk about the move down south and his recruitment.
Miller played the past few season for AAA Hollidaysburg where he played both running back and safety. This past season he totaled 101 tackles with 61 solo. He also tallied 11 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions. On the offensive side, Miller rushed for 362 yards on 27 carries. His film is pretty impressive. Whenever you see a flash come across the screen, it’s Reid Miller. He has exceptional closing speed, finds the football and hits hard.
When asked about the decision to attend IMG Academy, which has produced many NFL draft picks, Miller stated “Coach Sturdivant (Defensive Coordinator) called me after my season and said ‘we’d like you to come play for us’ so I went down for a tour and I liked the coaches and facilities so I moved down.” He also said “playing for IMG Academy is definitely a big opportunity to further my football career.” IMG Academy is coached by former Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke.
Miller is being recruited as a safety and is getting recruited by Pitt, Army, Navy, Princeton, Cornell, Lehigh, Temple and West Virginia. He has no offers at the moment but hopes that will change this summer.
He has spoken with Head Coach Paul Chryst before he left Pennsylvania and has kept in contact with Pitt since the move. “I plan on camping at Pitt, Penn State and Navy. I’ve visited Pitt and I plan to visit Cornell and Lehigh this summer. I also visited Akron and was on the sideline for the Ohio game. I’d like to visit Pitt again during a bye week this season. We play 13 games so I’ll have a chance with the bye.”
An interesting tidbit that Dreambackfield.com uncovered from Miller is that he recently bench pressed 350 lbs. He stated “that is the highest bench press for a defensive back in the history of IMG.” He also runs a 4.5 40 yard dash.
When asked about an offer from Pitt, Miller said “I want to play college football in Pennsylvania so my family and friends can watch me play. If Pitt offers, they’ll be number one. I live an hour away and they’d be number one no matter what their record is.”
Follow Reid on Twitter at @Reid_Miller11
