THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 24, 1995 TAG: 9511240181
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
It will be easy to find Deep Creek's George Miller when the Hornets play Hampton tonight in the Division 5 region final at Oscar Smith.
Just keep your eyes on Hampton quarterback Ronald Curry.
``When he makes his move, I make mine,'' Miller says.
That Miller has been assigned to shadow Curry reveals much about both players.
Curry, a 6-3, 190-pound sophomore, is so adept at breaking down defenses that he forces even the best teams to change their schemes.
Miller, a 6-1, 185-pound junior linebacker, is the anti-Curry: Able to shed bigger blockers, read the play and disrupt the point of attack, whether it's racing to the perimeter to make a tackle or dropping into pass coverage.
Deep Creek coach Jerry Carter calls Miller the best linebacker in his six seasons at the school.
John Dukes, the Hornets' defensive coordinator and a former head coach at Indian River, is even more effusive in his praise.
``George has the ability to read and accelerate quickly better than anybody I've been lucky enough to work with,'' Dukes said. ``The best linebacker I had at Indian River was Greg Gadson and George is quicker than Greg was.''
It's one thing to be the best in your school. Curry might be the best in the country.
Miller, in a rare of show of vulnerability for a defensive lion, admits, ``I'm a little nervous.''
Who wouldn't be?
``To stop Curry you've got to break down and make sure you wrap him up,'' Miller says. ``You don't want to over-pursue. The biggest threat is when he scrambles.''
That's a veritable speech for Miller.
``He's not very talkative unless he's joking,'' says his mother, Judy Miller. ``He just loves to play football.''
Miller has started every game the past two years, moving from outside to inside linebacker this season. Deep Creek is 24-1 in that stretch, 11-0 this year.
Miller is a B and C student taking college prep courses, including Chemistry, Algebra II and Spanish II. He works a part-time job, rising at 5 a.m. on mornings after games to work an 11-hour shift.
He puts most of the money in the bank. His one indulgence is the videos of Deep Creek's games he buys from TCI Cable Channel 23 in Chesapeake.
``Every time somebody comes over we have to look at them,'' Judy Miller says. ``He just loves to watch himself and the team win.''
A video of Miller's highlights would include:
A sack against Norcom on an attempted double pass on which the the victim muttered an obscenity when he saw Miller coming, then crumpled in a heap.
An interception to blunt Western Branch's only scoring threat in a game that decided the Southeastern District title.
A partially blocked punt that led to Deep Creek's first touchdown in last week's region semifinal victory over Kecoughtan.
That was his second blocked punt; he also had one against Great Bridge.
There seems to be little Miller can't do, except gain weight. He would make an ideal strong safety at the next level if he gained 20 pounds.
``The first thing he says when he comes home from practice is `What are we having to eat?' '' Judy Miller says.
To bulk up, Miller has tried everything from nutritional supplements to lifting weights every night in his garage.
He'll have to settle for playing bigger than he is. ILLUSTRATION: Deep Creek's George Miller, above, is assigned to shadow Hampton
QB Ronald Curry tonight.
by CNB