Oct. 12, 2010
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (UCFAthletics.com) - With Conference USA rival Marshall straight ahead for the UCF Knights, Bruce Miller caught himself thinking about ``the play'' at random times throughout the past week.
``The play,'' of course, came last season with UCF trailing Marshall by six points with 2:12 to play. The Knights needed a miracle to keep Marshall from running out the clock, and Miller was there to provide it.
When the Knights' standout defensive end bolted around the edge and stripped the ball away from quarterback Brian Anderson, it gave the ball back to UCF. Not long after, UCF was in the end zone, kicked the winning extra point and had one of the most dramatic wins in school history.
Head coach George O'Leary called the play a season saver. Defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable has shown the film clip of the play to others, pointing out how Miller never gave up on the play or the game for that matter. And others on field at the time, such as Derrick Hallman and Josh Robinson, still marvel at Miller's ability to summon greatness when the Knights needed it the most.
As is often the case with Miller, he was quick to point out that he hardly deserved all of the praise for a play many associated with UCF still consider one of the best in school history.
``With this being Marshall week, I've got to say that I've flashed back to it a few times,'' said Miller, who ripped the ball out the way a lumberjack might start a chainsaw. ``It was so cool to be a part of that play, but it really was a team effort. If (former UCF tackle) Torell (Troup) doesn't blow the center up and mess up the hand off and if Lawrence (Young) doesn't come and hit the quarterback and keep him standing, it would have been over. And then Josh (Robinson) fell on the ball, too. So it was totally a team effort.''
That play is sure to get plenty of runtime Wednesday on ESPN when UCF (3-2) takes on Marshall (1-4) in Huntington, W.Va., at 8 p.m. The Knights have beaten the Herd, their former rivals from the Mid-American Conference, five-consecutive times, including winning the last two times in West Virginia.
``I don't think anybody in the conference (likes) us. I think the only reason (for the rivalry with Marshall) is that we were in the MAC. They're the people we've played the most,'' O'Leary said. ``I think they're a team that's 1-4 but they easily could have won a couple more games. They took West Virginia to the woodshed, but fell short at the end. They have some talent.''
Marshall is attempting to organize a ``white-out'' promotion for the game, meaning UCF will be adorned in their black jerseys for a fifth time over the past two seasons. The Knights are 4-1 in those uniforms, beating Houston, Tulane, South Dakota and UAB, while losing only to NC State.
``It's a nice feeling wearing our black and Derrick Hallman has called it our `black magic,''' senior safety Reggie Weems said. ``He said that (Marshall) made the wrong choice putting us in black.''
The Knights were in the red most of the night last season against Marshall, failing to convert several scoring chances and trailing throughout the game. But Miller came to the rescue in a game where he already had 10 tackles, three stops for a loss and 2.5 sacks. And what made his game-saving sack even more impressive was the fact that Miller called his shot.
``When we were running out on the field, he said to hold the quarterback up and he'd get the ball out,'' Hallman remembered. ``I couldn't do anything but jump running off the field because I was so excited. All they had to do was run the clock out because we didn't have timeouts. But somehow, some way Bruce made a play.''
He has had a knack for doing that the past four seasons, compiling 30 career sacks for the Knights. This season, Miller has 21 tackles, six stops for a loss and three sacks for UCF's nationally ranked defense. With Miller anchoring the defensive line and leading the way, the Knights rank second nationally in passing efficiency defense (92.29 rating), fifth in passing defense (148.2 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (13.8 ppg) and ninth in total defense (265.2 ypg).
And, remarkably, Miller has once again had a dramatic impact this season despite often getting ``chipped'' by running backs out of the backfield and getting double-teamed by offensive linemen when he moves inside for spot duty at defensive tackle.
O'Leary said Miller has reacted predictably to the treatment, stressing that the blocking attention he is receiving frees up another teammate to make a big play. O'Leary said that Miller's unselfishness is contagious and one of his biggest impacts is the effect he has on others around him.
``He's the most unselfish kid on the team. He really is,'' O'Leary said. ``If there's an award out for a guy who's very unselfish, right away I say `that's Bruce Miller.' He never talks about plays and this and that. It drives me nuts on TV when I see guys say that it's all about the sacks and what they did. He's always about team and I think that's what makes him special with his teammates.
``People are throwing the ball a lot quicker this year than last year (because of Miller's pressure). They're not holding onto it very long,'' O'Leary continued. ``That's why defensively we've tightened up some coverage and we're getting off the field. (Miller) never says a word about anything. He just does his job.''
Like with his famous play against Marshall last season, Miller said he's had to use several moves to counter blocking schemes and double teams. But according to O'Leary and Huxtable, that willingness to give second, third and fourth efforts is what truly makes Miller a standout player.
``Maybe a few times last year the first move would work and I'd get to the quarterback, but now almost every time I have backs chipping me and every lineman coming and it's a matter of the first move, second move and even sometimes a third move,'' Miller said. ``That's just the way it is, and that's just fine with me.''
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John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.