Dispatch
FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK An emerging talent
Opponents can?t afford to overlook Beechcroft?s Miller
Friday, September 08, 2006
Steve Blackledge
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
WILL SHILLING FOR THE DISPATCH Beechcroft?s Julian Miller, who has committed to West Virginia, makes a one-handed sack of Brookhaven?s Michael McGee.
Postseason honors somehow eluded Julian Miller, a member of the nasty Beechcroft defense in 2005.
Miller?s 42 tackles (nine for negative yardage) and seven sacks at defensive end were impressive but modest compared with the statistics turned in by some of his senior teammates.
Wowed by his undeveloped, 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame, raw ability and upside, college recruiters noticed Miller, though.
"Julian had 15 offers before school was out last spring," Cougars coach Tom Dunlap said. "Coaches from programs like Illinois, Boston College and Syracuse were here in our building.
"He?s just the kind of athlete college coaches look for ? the kind who have the speed, size, intangibles and ability to pack weight on. It also helps that he?s a motivated kid who already has qualified (academically)."
Overwhelmed by attention from recruiters, Miller recently made a commitment to West Virginia.
"(Coach) Rich Rodriguez was ecstatic," Dunlap said. "He told me Julian was No. 2 on his list of kids they really coveted.
"They recruited him as a defensive end, but he also has the speed and athleticism to play outside linebacker or tight end. For us, his real strength is as a tight end, because he?s a real threat as a receiver and he draws double teams."
Big bodies
In 6-6, 300-pound Travis Baldwin and 6-5, 295-pound Travis Londot, Utica boasts bookend senior offensive tackles attracting college attention.
"Both of them went to a lot of camps in the offseason and got their names out there," coach Randy Felumlee said. "Obviously, they?ve got the ideal height and thickness to get noticed."
They have yet to excel as highschool players, in part because both were injured much of 2005. Baldwin underwent foot and knee surgery; Londot was slow in recovering from 2004 knee surgery.
"Frankly, we?ve expected more from them than they?ve produced," said Felumlee, whose team is 0-2. "We anticipated being able to blow people off the ball, but it hasn?t happened yet. We?ve got a 140-pound running back and he sort of disappears into a mass of humanity sometimes. Both kids are pretty good pass blockers. Maybe we need to change our schemes to take advantage of things better."
Hybrid Cougar
Some believe that Westland (1-1) could be the sleeper of the Ohio Capital Conference Ohio Division, and quarterback Kasey Wendal is a big reason.
The 6-foot, 210-pound senior who totaled 1,825 yards and 20 touchdowns rushing and passing last season is difficult to defend. He already has rushed for 313 yards in the Cougars? shotgun, spread offense.
"Kasey?s part quarterback and part running back," Westland coach Jeff Jones said. "He can throw the ball really well and is athletic enough to make things happen with his feet."
Jones insisted that Wendal is a Division I athlete, but few recruiters seem interested in him as a quarterback because of his height.
"Northwestern worked him out as a running back and others like him at defensive back or even at receiver, but whatever they say I know that his disposition is that of as quarterback," Jones said.
