Interview: Brock Miller #2 Varsity Football RB/WR/DB

Photo Credit: Josh Ortman Ortman Production

What are your thoughts going into this unusual football season?

We’re coming into a weird season, at least for me.  We didn’t know if we were going to have a season and then we went on to two-a-days.  It was still undecided, we had a week of two-a-days and then they cancelled it on us.  Mentally, it’s kind of one of those things that you know could be taken away from you at any second.  And like, growing up in pee wee football and even last year or the year before, you’ll hear coaches say “you never know when it can be taken away from you”.  You never know when it could be your last play.  I feel like, after being able to experience it first hand, understanding I may not be able to play my senior season, because of a pandemic that hit randomly, it opened up my eyes and a lot of other players’ eyes to just, give it your all.

I remember receiving the news that the season was back on, I was lifting with CJ Crum and Aidan Koneval.  I looked at my phone, and my mom texted me saying “footballs back!”  I’m like, no way, she’s lying to me, she’s pulling a prank.  And then CJ’s mom texted him, same thing, football’s back.  We both looked at each other and instantly we had that adrenaline rush.  We were excited to play.  Right when that happened, we’re like, ok, we’re going.

The very first practice, Tuesday, this past week. I was walking out of practice, I felt like I had played an entire game.  We were going hard, we’re working, it’s a different feeling.  And I feel like this feeling, it’s not going to go away.  Right now, at least in my mind, I’ve got to give it my all.  I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to do this for.  It’s something special, it’s something really cool.

When it comes to the season and how it’s going to be, I think as a team, we’re going to be better because of this.  We’re going to be tighter, as a group we are already a tight group.  Last year and this year, they’ve felt like almost a family, more than just a football team. It’s really cool to see how that all works out.   We’re all friends.

How’s your coach handling this wild crazy season?

He’s handled it well.  Basically the second we got the news that we weren’t going to have school and stuff this spring, he and the other coaches started to make a google classroom for us.  They started putting plays and things in there for people that don’t really know what’s going on.  So we’re on top of it, even though we’re not actually there, working on the plays and stuff.

Normally, you’d just have a paper playbook right?

Yeah, basically a paper book or playbook.  It’s something different, but it’s helpful and it worked for the time.   Last year, we were inside during two-a-days, we were doing film before practice.  We learned what we were going to do before practice.  Then we would execute it in practice. But we couldn’t go inside this year.   So our coach has handled it well.  I really think this has given him a chance to pause for a second, and think of some new cool things.  We’re not only going to be underneath the center, Wing T kind of thing.  We’re going to be doing some cool stuff.  It’s going to be cool to see.

We have a few new coaches coming in right now, a defensive tackles coach and a defensive ends coach.  The program right now is turning into more of an energetic, fresh program and it’s cool to be a part of that.

I’ve been blessed to have been apart of such a great high school program. Coach Maraige, who is still coaching our freshman team, had our program on top of the CAAC for years.

Last year was Coach Schmitt’s first year as the varsity Head Coach, I loved that team.  Now it’s the second year, i can’t believe it feels like it’s growing, it’s getting better.   We were a good team.  Right now, we’re pulling in even more players from the community.  The first workout we had during the summer, we had almost 80 kids there, and that used to never happen.  It’s really cool to see.

Our team, the whole program, having the new coaching staff come in and add that extra, new fresh feeling to it, it’s really cool to be a part of.

What are some of the team’s and some of your individual goals for this six game season?

I can tell you, we’re going out there to win every play / game.  Mentality, that’s just how we are.   We’re going to do this by showing true grit by working hard and playing as if it’ll be our last game.

We did that very well last year, we played hard, we had to go up against some hard competition.  Beating Mason, after we got destroyed by them the first time, that was awesome.  That’s because we work hard, we grinded each practice to get better.

Individually, to have the best season possible.  I want to be recruited, that’s something that’s always been a goal of mine.  I love the idea of playing college football.   I’m excited, I want to have a good offensive and defensive season.  I want to stay healthy and our whole team to stay healthy.

Have you had a chance to get in some extra off season training?

I was bored, I was playing a lot of video games, but two weeks into quarantine, me, my dad and Tanner Motz were able to lift with each other.  That was completely different, I have never been able to lift with a division one athlete.  His goal, because he’s moving to defensive end, his goal is to gain weight.  That was my same goal, I also had the goal to keep my speed, but we were able to lift with each other, it was just something that was fun.  It added that extra spark to sitting inside the house, being able to get out of the house and do something for a bit.  I’m definitely blessed that my dad owns a gym, and I’m definitely blessed to have a dad that knows how to train, he was there doing it with me.

Motz is a division one, athlete. Big guy, he’s strong.  It showed me how to have that extra push, that extra work ethic.  I kind of came in there, talked some crap, got him movin too a little bit.  It was some good competition, mentally it helped me get better with all that kind of stuff.

What should we expect from the Redwings this year?

This year is definitely about “The Team”.  This Covid situation, it’s hard.  This year is about doing what we know we can do and do it to the best of our abilities.   I believe we have a fast team, we have the most athletic team that I think has come through St. Johns in a really long time.  I think we can do something really special with that.  We’re going to be good.  If we all put our mind to doing it and really put the effort into it, we can be good and we could actually do something this year.  

IMG 5292

IMG 2361

FinalImage

IMG 2362

IMG 2383

IMG 2382

IMG 2386

IMG 4921

A8C61660 A631 4A2D 83F5 CF4F44197D03

IMG 2660

IMG 2661

IMG 2664

IMG 2662

IMG 4215

FinalImage

IMG 4564

2F4D712D 3536 4867 B142 ECC325C50CCF

IMG 5300

IMG 6464

IMG 6590

FinalImage (1)

Thank you Brock for talking with us!  We hope you and your teammates have a season to remember. 

Who’s next!!! We would love to do more interviews with St. Johns athletes, so please contact us if you are interested.  You don’t have to be a star on the varsity team to have a story to tell, we want to highlight the success of all athletes and the positive impact sports are having on them and their future.  Contact us at sjsportspage@gmail.com

Go Redwings!

Click for Information

Visit Sports Stop for our 25% off Sale!

Supporting the St. Johns Athletic Boosters Club!