Dejuan Miller: No longer 'lost in the shuffle'
Published: 10/15/2009 11:30 PM
Last Modified: 10/15/2009 11:30 PM
Dejuan Miller, they said, was making some big-time plays.
Someone, probably one of his teammates, even invoked the name of Larry Fitzgerald.
Now, it's seven weeks later. Oklahoma is 3-2. The Sooners are getting ready to play No. 3 Texas in their annual Red River shoving match.
And Miller is only just now arriving at the party.
Last week against Baylor, Miller was called upon for his first career start. He needed to grab a little tighter on a ball or three, but did catch five passes and gained 67 yards. That included a nice 37-yarder.
"With Ryan (Broyles) out, I felt like I had to kick my game up another notch," Miller said this week. "I felt like I had to step up and be the player I know I can be. It's all just mental. I knew I could just turn on that switch and keep it going. I just felt like I had to step up and make plays on Saturday, and that's what I did."
His coach, Jay Norvell, said during the last week of two-a-days that Miller, a 6-foot-4, 224-pound sophomore from Metuchen, N.J., was making plays in practice and seemed to be hitting his stride.
But, despite numerous opportunities for a receiver — any receiver to step up, none did. Miller, for one reason or another, was among them. Until last week.
"I just felt like I was kind of lost in the shuffle a little bit," Miller said. "That's due in part to me. I should have been working harder and having a better attitude. Now I feel like I'm starting to work harder and having a better attitude and my demeanor's showing, to the coaches, then I'm ready to go out here and make plays."
Said quarterback Sam Bradford, "I think you guys saw the way he played Saturday. He made some great plays out there for us. I think it was a third down and he caught a slant, kind of a diving slant, in man coverage. It was a huge catch to keep the drive going for us. I've seen that all along since last spring. For him to come out and do that in a game atmosphere, in a Big 12 game, it was nice to see, and hopefully he'll continue to do that."
Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said it was a case of a player finally "getting it," someone understand the dedication and maturity it takes to play major college football at a high level.
Said Miller, "I'm gonna cherish the starting role as much as I can."
— John E. Hoover
Written by
John E. Hoover
Sports Columnist
