Ricardo Miller
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Miller is an American football
tight end
for the Michigan Wolverines football
team. He was the first player to commit to Michigan’s 2010 recruiting class and enrolled at the University of Michigan
in January 2010.
but moved to Orlando, Florida
with his family as a second grader. Both of his parents, Anne Reagor-Miller and Derek Miller, are retired military personnel who worked to instill
"strong discipline and work ethic" in their children. Miller's mother noted that his coaches always said he was something special as an athlete. She described her son as a workaholic relentlessly striving to improve himself: "He's always in overdrive, always giving 110 percent. I've never had to make him do things because he takes the initiative to do it himself. Hard work and commitment pays off, and now he’s learning that."
Commonly refer to as a switchout
in Orlando. He played two years of varsity football at Dr. Phillips from 2007 to 2008. His coach told a Florida newspaper, "Sometimes, we have to keep him from working too hard. He does everything to the max." Miller participated in the University of Michigan football camp in the summer of 2008, where he was named one of camp's top five stars. After he helped lead Dr. Phillips to the championship at the University of Central Florida
's annual seven-on-seven tournament in June 2008, the Miami Herald touted him as one of the "impressive rising juniors" in the tournament. As a junior, he weighed 205 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds.
, and Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez
called the following Monday with a scholarship offer. Miller, whose mother is a 1985 graduate of the University of Michigan, gave Rodriguez his verbal commitment on the spot. He was the first player in Michigan's 2010 recruiting class. Miller told a Florida newspaper that Urban Meyer
was the first college coach who attempted to recruit him, but he had his heart set on Michigan. Miller received scholarship offers from 30 universities, including Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, UCLA and Notre Dame . Miller said he chose Michigan because "I felt this is where I can make my mark at the beginning of my football career and be a part of a great tradition and family."
. Miller said that he decided to move to Michigan a year early to acclimate himself to Michigan. He told the Detroit Free Press at the time, "To be able to have the chance to get used to the cold and going to the (Michigan) games on Saturday is something I am really looking forward to. It’s going to be great being up there in that atmosphere with Michigan right across the street." Miller added, "I am going to be around the (Michigan) coaches a lot and very early," he said. "I am graduating early and starting the process earlier, so it should be a good transition for me."
Miller spent the fall semester at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School. At the time, ESPN.com published a feature story on Miller and noted:
During the 2009 football season, Miller played wide receiver for Pioneer High at Hollway Field, which is located across the street from Michigan Stadium
. Miller told ESPN that playing in the shadow of the Big House inspired him: "On the days when I'm not going 100 percent or I'm slacking off, I'll just look at that big block M and that will give me the lift that I need to pick it up." He scored his first touchdown on a 55-yard touchdown pass in Pioneer's 45-0 win over Dexter. He caught three touchdown passes in a 41-6 victory over Monroe and played games against fellow 2010 Michigan recruits Jeremy Jackson (Ann Arbor Huron High School) and Devin Gardner
(Inkster). He helped lead 2009 Pioneer team to a 7-2 record with 23 catches for 493 yards (21.4 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns. Scout.com rated Miller as a four-star wide receiver with "an unbelievable physical package." Scout.com’s Midwest Recruiting Manager Allen Trieu said of Miller: "He has great size and has worked hard in the weight room. He is stronger and physically ahead of where a high school senior entering college should be … For someone with his size, he has good straight line speed and shows the ability to snatch the ball out of the air."
:
He said that getting the No. 1 jersey worn by Edwards and other Michigan receivers was a milestone and "something I've used as motivation for all the years I've been playing football."
In addition to his talent as a player, Miller earned praise for his efforts as a recruiter for the Michigan football program. Miller told The Detroit News, "I felt like I was a leader of my class. And what do leaders do? They recruit. They recruit troops. My fellow recruits are troops, and I wanted to have the best army, the best team we could possibly have." After national signing day in early February 2010, the Detroit Free Press reported:
In February 2010, The Macomb Daily wrote that Miller "has tremendous upside and should make an immediate impact" at Michigan. ESPN.com calls him "an intriguing prospect that is essentially a wide receiver with H-back size and toughness" who "could easily develop into a 225-pound hybrid player with a ton of versatility."
Miller redshirt
ed in 2010. He will use his first year of eligibility for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
team. He was the first player to commit to Michigan’s 2010 recruiting class and enrolled at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in January 2010.
Early years
Miller was born in Hampton, VirginiaHampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
but moved to Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
with his family as a second grader. Both of his parents, Anne Reagor-Miller and Derek Miller, are retired military personnel who worked to instill
"strong discipline and work ethic" in their children. Miller's mother noted that his coaches always said he was something special as an athlete. She described her son as a workaholic relentlessly striving to improve himself: "He's always in overdrive, always giving 110 percent. I've never had to make him do things because he takes the initiative to do it himself. Hard work and commitment pays off, and now he’s learning that."
Commonly refer to as a switchout
Dr. Phillips High School
Miller first gained attention as a wide receiver for Dr. Phillips High SchoolDr. Phillips High School
Dr. Phillips High School is a high school located in Orlando, Florida, United States.The area of Dr. Phillips, Florida is named after Dr. Philip Phillips, a physician who later became a Central Florida citrus magnate. He was responsible for several key innovations in the processing and packaging of...
in Orlando. He played two years of varsity football at Dr. Phillips from 2007 to 2008. His coach told a Florida newspaper, "Sometimes, we have to keep him from working too hard. He does everything to the max." Miller participated in the University of Michigan football camp in the summer of 2008, where he was named one of camp's top five stars. After he helped lead Dr. Phillips to the championship at the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
's annual seven-on-seven tournament in June 2008, the Miami Herald touted him as one of the "impressive rising juniors" in the tournament. As a junior, he weighed 205 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds.
Early commitment to Michigan
At the beginning of his junior year at Dr. Phillips in September 2008, Miller gave an oral commitment to the University of Michigan. The Orlando Sentinel described him at the time as a "standout" who played "a major role" in Dr. Phillips' strong start in the 2008 football season. A Michigan assistant coach attended Dr. Phillips' victory over Seminole High SchoolSeminole High School (Seminole County, Florida)
Seminole High School is a public high school located in Sanford, Florida operated by Seminole County Public Schools. In February 2007 Mike Gaudreau, a Seminole High School alumnus, became principal....
, and Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
called the following Monday with a scholarship offer. Miller, whose mother is a 1985 graduate of the University of Michigan, gave Rodriguez his verbal commitment on the spot. He was the first player in Michigan's 2010 recruiting class. Miller told a Florida newspaper that Urban Meyer
Urban Meyer
Urban Frank Meyer, III is an American football coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University, having been hired for the position in November 2011...
was the first college coach who attempted to recruit him, but he had his heart set on Michigan. Miller received scholarship offers from 30 universities, including Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, UCLA and Notre Dame . Miller said he chose Michigan because "I felt this is where I can make my mark at the beginning of my football career and be a part of a great tradition and family."
Ann Arbor Pioneer High School
In June 2009, after his junior year of high school, Miller moved with his family to Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. Miller said that he decided to move to Michigan a year early to acclimate himself to Michigan. He told the Detroit Free Press at the time, "To be able to have the chance to get used to the cold and going to the (Michigan) games on Saturday is something I am really looking forward to. It’s going to be great being up there in that atmosphere with Michigan right across the street." Miller added, "I am going to be around the (Michigan) coaches a lot and very early," he said. "I am graduating early and starting the process earlier, so it should be a good transition for me."
Miller spent the fall semester at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School. At the time, ESPN.com published a feature story on Miller and noted:
"Ricardo Miller isn't your typical transfer student. The 6-foot-3 210-pound wide receiver arrived in Ann Arbor only days before summer workouts began. His reputation as a big-play receiver preceded him; he became a household name at Orlando's Dr. Phillips High School, where he had 34 catches for 615 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior."
During the 2009 football season, Miller played wide receiver for Pioneer High at Hollway Field, which is located across the street from Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
. Miller told ESPN that playing in the shadow of the Big House inspired him: "On the days when I'm not going 100 percent or I'm slacking off, I'll just look at that big block M and that will give me the lift that I need to pick it up." He scored his first touchdown on a 55-yard touchdown pass in Pioneer's 45-0 win over Dexter. He caught three touchdown passes in a 41-6 victory over Monroe and played games against fellow 2010 Michigan recruits Jeremy Jackson (Ann Arbor Huron High School) and Devin Gardner
Devin Gardner
Devin Gardner is an American football quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines football team. During the fall of 2009, he was rated as the No. 1 high school quarterback in the United States by Rivals.com and the No. 5 quarterback by ESPNU...
(Inkster). He helped lead 2009 Pioneer team to a 7-2 record with 23 catches for 493 yards (21.4 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns. Scout.com rated Miller as a four-star wide receiver with "an unbelievable physical package." Scout.com’s Midwest Recruiting Manager Allen Trieu said of Miller: "He has great size and has worked hard in the weight room. He is stronger and physically ahead of where a high school senior entering college should be … For someone with his size, he has good straight line speed and shows the ability to snatch the ball out of the air."
University of Michigan
Miller became an early enrollee at Michigan in January 2010. After national signing day in early February, Miller expressed confidence in himself, predicting he could be the next Braylon EdwardsBraylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....
:
"I feel most certain I can be the next Braylon Edwards. I'm not saying this because I'm arrogant or cocky. I just feel that the work I put in on the field and off the field, and the type of player I already am with my height and my hands ... Braylon Edwards was an idol to me. He's known for going up and getting balls and being very versatile with his route running. So with that in mind I just feel I can be the next No. 1 receiver that everybody will talk about."
He said that getting the No. 1 jersey worn by Edwards and other Michigan receivers was a milestone and "something I've used as motivation for all the years I've been playing football."
In addition to his talent as a player, Miller earned praise for his efforts as a recruiter for the Michigan football program. Miller told The Detroit News, "I felt like I was a leader of my class. And what do leaders do? They recruit. They recruit troops. My fellow recruits are troops, and I wanted to have the best army, the best team we could possibly have." After national signing day in early February 2010, the Detroit Free Press reported:
"The freshman wide receiver embraced it like no one else. He was the first member of the 2010 class, committing in September 2008, and took control from there. By his estimate, he called 50 other players in the past two years to try to persuade them to attend Michigan, including some in the 2009 class -- a year before he could even sign his letter of intent."
In February 2010, The Macomb Daily wrote that Miller "has tremendous upside and should make an immediate impact" at Michigan. ESPN.com calls him "an intriguing prospect that is essentially a wide receiver with H-back size and toughness" who "could easily develop into a 225-pound hybrid player with a ton of versatility."
Miller redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ed in 2010. He will use his first year of eligibility for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team
2011 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolverines play in the Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference and play their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which hosted its first...
.