Tag: christian miller

Christian Miller named 2023-24 Gatorade National Boys Track and Field Player of the Year

A fantastic finish for the Creekside High School star.

Christian Miller took home the Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Player of the Year honor this week, a fantastic finish for the record-setting sprinter.

The Sunshine State standout was surprised with the prominent award surrounded by his family, coaches, and teammates at Creekside High School (St. Johns, Fla.).

Another track sensation to join the list of past winners—who boast a combined trophy case of more than 19 gold medals and 14 national championships—Miller was certainly worthy of the iconic hardware, which more than half a million other student-athletes were in the running for.

“Christian Miller officially broke the national high school record at 100 meters this spring, but it certainly appears there’s more left in the tank based upon his performances at the Olympic Trials,” noted Rich Gonzalez, editor of PrepCalTrack.com., in a statement. “The rhythmic power he harnesses is extremely unique for a teenage sprinter. His skill set is beginning to remind folks of a one-time prep prodigy named Noah Lyles—yes, the same Noah Lyles that has since won six world championship medals. Miller’s career is going places and he’s getting there faster than any before him.”

[lawrence-related id=101524726]

Miller’s achievements of the track carried just as much weight as his impressive Gold medal-worthy accolades on it, with the Georgia Bulldogs commit turrning the spotlight on his work volunteering for the River Rock Church community and coaching youth club teams.

Most impressive?

He maintained a B average in the classroom while doing all of it, from setting world records on the track to helping coach younger athletes on the St. John’s Striders track team.

“Gatorade Players of the Year are not only world-class athletes, but they’re also motivated to succeed in the classroom and be leaders in their communities,” said Gatorade president and general manager Michael Del Pozzo, of Miller’s overall resume. ”Christian embodies all those qualities tenfold, and we’re proud to welcome him into the Gatorade Player of the Year family.”

(Gatorade Player of the Year/Joe Greer)

Panthers cut QB Will Grier

The Will Grier experiment (if you could’ve called it that) is now over for the Carolina Panthers.

Two years ago, former Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney had the fortitude to rank Will Grier higher up on his draft board than he did Kyler Murray. Today, new general manager Scott Fitterer had the fortitude to squash that mistake.

2019 third-round selection Will Grier was amongst the team’s early cuts on Tuesday morning. So not only has the 26-year-old quarterback lost out in the battle for the backup spot to starter Sam Darnold, but he’s now lost out on his spot completely.

Grier struggled to see the field since he was drafted, then struggled when he did, totaling just 228 yards, zero touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 28 of his 52 attempts (53.8 percent) over his only two appearances. Although he wasn’t as offensive this preseason, he obviously did not do enough to inspire the staff to keep him onboard into his third year.

Joining Grier in the early cuts are outside linebacker Christian Miller (the pick after Grier in 2019), linebacker Josh Bynes, wide receivers Omar Bayless, C.J. Saunders and Keith Kirkwood, tight end Stephen Sullivan, offensive linemen Sam Tecklenburg, Mike Horton and Aaron Monteiro, running back Spencer Brown, cornerback Jalen Julius and defensive lineman Frank Herron.

[vertical-gallery id=639215]

Analysis: DE Darryl Johnson could give Panthers personnel flexibility

What implications does the trade for DE Darryl Johnson have in the Panthers’ plans moving forward?

The current construction of the Buffalo Bills, just about from up to down, contains numerous beams that were originally established in the Carolina Panthers organization. So many, in fact, they earned the playful nickname of “Carolina North” from the folks down and around in the Tar Heel State.

Well, it now seems as though the Panthers may be on their way to earning themselves a “Buffalo South” moniker.

Ok, maybe not quite yet, but they did syphon some talent back their way from Buffalo, trading for defensive end Darryl Johnson early on Monday afternoon. The deal was first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, soon after the team announced the day’s practice and media availability was cancelled.

So, with Tuesday’s 53-man roster deadline approaching, this’ll certainly have some implications on what the team ultimately looks like. First off, how would head coach Matt Rhule and his staff try to employ Johnson?

Despite being listed as an end (and standing at a towering 6-foot-6 and 262 pounds), the 2019 seventh-rounder can squeeze into the mold as a linebacker, particularly one that can be utilized on special teams.

Johnson did show promise as a rotational piece for Buffalo in his two campaigns there, amassing a pair of sacks and five quarterback hits while playing in 31 of 32 games. Though it’s his proven capability as a core special teamer, and the potential for more on defense given his traits, that has apparently caught the franchise’s eye.

The Panthers, as stated by general manager Scott Fitterer, highlighted linebacker depth as one of the areas that particularly needed help. Last week’s trade of oft-absent Denzel Perryman knocked the team down to its starting trio of Shaq Thompson, Jermaine Carter Jr. and Haason Reddick ahead of backups Frankie Luvu, Clay Johnston, Julian Stanford and Josh Bynes.

Luvu, along with the starters, are assured their jerseys through Tuesday. That could mean any of the bubbles between Johnston, Stanford and Bynes are in jeopardy of being popped before 4 p.m. ET tomorrow.

Defensive end Christian Miller might be another name to watch as a development of the deal. He would potentially lose out in a pure numbers game, as he’s been solid this summer. But if Fitterer and Rhule decide to roster Johnson at his expense, it’s because he’s the lowest man left on the defensive end totem pole.

To keep track of all the Panthers’ cuts in the upcoming 26 hours, follow along here.

[vertical-gallery id=639778]

Carolina Panthers 53-man roster projection: Final cuts edition

Who’s staying in and who’s going out? Here are our projections for the Panthers’ initial 53-man roster.

Bloody Tuesday is upon us and the Carolina Panthers have some cleaning up to do. So who stays and who goes as they cut down their personnel before that 4 p.m. ET deadline in a few days?

Here are our projections for the team’s initial 53-man roster for the 2021 regular season.

Carolina Panthers 53-man roster projection: Training camp edition

Some players are showing out for the Carolina Panthers in training camp, making the team’s decision on their final 53-man roster increasingly tough.

The Carolina Panthers have released their first unofficial depth chart of the 2021 season. And you know what that means . . . Yes! More speculation!

So, off the heels of our previous 53-man projection back at OTAs, here is our latest forecast in the midst of the team’s training camp activities.

Panthers place LB Jordan Mack on reserve/retired list

According to Joe Person at the Athletic, the team has placed Mack on the reserve/retired list.

NFL careers don’t last long. Some end before they even begin. That’s the case for Panthers linebacker Jordan Mack, in any case.

An undrafted free agent out of Virginia, Mack opted out of playing in the 2020 season due to concerns over COVID-19. We had projected him to be near the bottom of the inside linebacker rotation, but it seems Mack has other plans that don’t involve football.

According to Joe Person at the Athletic, the team has placed Mack on the reserve/retired list.

Mack’s agent says that he is moving on to the post-football phase of his life.

The Panthers had one other player opt out last season: defensive end/outside linebacker Christian Miller. He plans to return.

[lawrence-related id=635876]

[vertical-gallery id=635518]

Four-Star defensive lineman has Ohio State in top three schools

Can Larry Johnson get another top lineman to Ohio State? Four-star defensive lineman Christen Miller has the Buckeyes in his top three.

There is no off-season for Ohio State football. The team is currently in the middle of spring practice and is preparing for its pro day scheduled to take place on March 30. And of course, the staff continues to talk to high school students about being future Buckeyes.

A four-star defensive lineman out of Ellenwood, Georgia has made it known that there are three schools that are clearly at the top of his list. Where do we go for news like this? Twitter… because social media has all the breaking news.

On that note, Hayes Fawcett recently shared on his Twitter feed that Christen Miller says Ohio State, USC, and Georgia are the clear leaders in his recruitment. Fawcett has made a name for himself by being the go-to guy for edits when recruits are ready to make any kind of announcement.

At 6-foot, 5-inches, and 285-pounds, Miller would be another nice addition to the collection that Larry Johnson is putting together on the defensive front. As of now, Georgia looks to be the leader according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions.

However, a lot can happen before a recruit announces his decision. We’ll see if Johnson can work his magic and get another top D lineman to head north to Columbus.

Ohio State football 2022 recruiting commitment tracker

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

NFL, NFLPA agree on deadline for players to opt-out of 2020 season

NFL, NFLPA agree on deadline for players to opt-out of 2020 season

The NFL and the players association have come to an agreement on the last remaining CBA changes for this year due to the pandemic.

According to a report by Tom Pelissero at NFL Network, the deadline for players to opt-out of the 2020 season is set for Thursday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Players will also be able to opt-out later in the case of specified situations due to family or medical circumstances.

So far, the Panthers have had two players opt-out. Rookie linebacker Jordan Mack decided to take the voluntary opt-out, and second-year defensive end Christian Miller is taking the high-risk opt-out.

[lawrence-related id=626949]

[vertical-gallery id=626625]

Panthers DE/LB Christian Miller releases statement on decision to opt-out

Panthers DE Christian Miller releases statement on his decision to opt-out of the 2020 season.

[jwplayer 6akAvbsb]

Panthers defensive end/linebacker Christian Miller is the second player on the team who has decided to opt-out of playing in the 2020 NFL season over concerns about COVID-19.

Miller released a statement, calling it an emotional and extremely tough decision. He says he has confidence in coach Matt Rhule and can’t wait to return to the team in 2021.

Losing Miller doesn’t help, but Carolina’s edge rotation should be able to absorb subtracting him without too much of a problem.

Last season, Miller was only on the field for 91 defensive snaps, or 8% of the team’s total. The defenders who stand to benefit most are Efe Obada and Marquis Haynes, who will compete for reps behind Brian Burns and whoever winds up starting on the other side of the defensive line.

There are now around 40 players across the league who have opted-out. The final deadline is still being negotiated, which is another way to say the NFL is moving the goal posts.

[lawrence-related id=626925]

[vertical-gallery id=626625]

Christian Miller becomes second Panther to opt out of 2020 season

The Panthers now have two players who opted out of the 2020 season.

The Carolina Panthers now have two players who have decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season.

The first was undrafted rookie linebacker Jordan Mack. Now, defensive end Christian Miller has decided to do the same, according to the team website.

Miller was a fourth-round pick last year but he did not see much playing time as a rookie in a loaded edge rotation in a veteran-heavy, Ron Rivera-coached defense. An ankle injury didn’t help, either.

While the edge group took a couple big hits with Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin leaving in free agency, there’s still a lot of young talent to be found there.

Miller opting out is far from devastating news for the defense and should result in more snaps to players like Marquis Haynes and second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos.