Before they got to Lincoln, the 2020 Huskers were slinging passes, accumulating touchdowns, breaking records and winning state titles. This fall, we highlight some Huskers who shined bright under Friday night lights.
Collin Miller
Year and position:Â Senior inside linebacker.
Recruiting class:Ìý2016.
High school:Â Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Indiana).
Of note:Â As a senior, Miller was ranked among the top-10 players in Indiana by Rivals. He also was a good baseball player in high school.
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Husker received all-conference honorable mention honors as a sophomore, all-state selection as a junior and an Indiana top-50 selection as a senior.
"He was so much better for us at that defensive end spot just because he was physical, he got off the ball great, he caused quarterbacks a lot of pressure," said May, who ran a 3-4 defense. "(He) did a great job for us at that spot."
Miller, who weighed about 250 pounds as a prep senior, racked up 110 tackles (68 unassisted), 25 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 23 QB hurries, four caused fumbles and four pass breakups.
So, yeah, offensive tackles had their hands full.
"To me, when he put his hand in the dirt, he didn't have to think a lot," May said. "He just went and I think he was really good at that.
"I've done this for 28 years — I'm retired from coaching now — but he's at the top, one of the top on my list for sure."
Players fed off of him
May raved about Miller's energy.
"He brought kids around him up by just the way he played," May said. "He was high energy and excited and celebrated and just had a good time with his teammates."
Hamilton Southeastern went 8-2 and reached the Class 6A (Indiana's biggest class) sectionals in Miller's senior season.
Early impressions
Miller didn't become a dominant player until later in high school, but May immediately saw a player ready to make an impact.
"I felt that way from day one with him," he said. "He just had that twitch, he had that excitement for the game, and love for the game. He did baseball, too, and I know he liked baseball, but you can tell he had a passion for football."
Keeping tabs
May caught the Nebraska-Ohio State game, and he saw Miller have one of his best games (seven tackles, including 1½ behind the line of scrimmage) as a Husker.
"I'm proud of what he's done out there," May said. "When you leave here and you're the top dog and then you've got to go out there and fight to become a mainstay and regular player … to do what he's done, a lot of kids want to transfer or move or do something else, and I think he's a kid that buys into a program and puts his heart into it.
"That's what he did for me, for sure."
May, by the way, also coached another disruptive force on defense in Randy Gregory, who played two seasons at Nebraska and is now with the Dallas Cowboys.
"He had a heck of a motor, too," May said. "They actually played the same position in our defensive scheme. Randy, everybody thought he was a skinny kid, they'd run at him, but he was physical. He'd whip you."
Celebrating Husker fans through the years
Celebrating Husker fans through the years
Larry the Cable Guy
Letting loose
Just cool it
Fan in balloons
Volleyball
NU Fan Day, 8.18.18
Cornhead
Fans
2017 sports end
Walking corn
Go Big Red
Crowd
NU football
Natilly dressed fans
Fan solo
BIRCH
Nebraska vs. Illinois, 9/29/17
Belly button
Husker Fans, 10/05/2013
Corn cookout
Ohio State vs. Nebraska, 1.21.2012
Suh
Crowd
Waiting for tickets
Memorial Stadium
Husker fan day, 8.1
Nebraska at Maryland, 11.23
Iowa vs. Nebraska, 11.29
College GameDay, 9.28
Ultimate fans
Nebraska vs. Colorado, 9.7
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Reach Clark Grell at 402-473-2639 or cgrell@journalstar.com. On Twitter at @LJSSportsGrell.