Greene County football senior Steve Miller has found his college home after committing to Mississippi State.
Miller gave his pledge to Mississippi State during his official visit to Starkville over the weekend. Miller chose the Bulldogs over Kansas, N.C. State, West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Kennesaw State, and Tulane.
Miller told Lake Oconee News he felt“at home” visiting with new MSU head coach Jeff Lebby.
“What made me pull the trigger was that it was a great weekend,” Miller said. “I know Coach Lebby is trying to build something special. He hosted me on the visit, so I knew he wanted me badly. He’s trying to bring in the best. Throughout the weekend, they made me feel at home. They were telling me they wanted me.”
Miller is the nation’s No. 44 safety, per On3’s Industry Rankings. He’s also rated as the No. 61 player in Georgia.
Miller, the 2023 Class A Division II Region 8 Athlete of the Year, will play in the secondary at the next level. He is set to play safety but can also line up at other positions in the defensive backfield.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive back will play under position coach Corey Bell at Mississippi State. He is ready to learn from Bell, who has nearly 30 years of experience coaching high school and collegiate ranks.
“[Mississippi State] has always been my top school because of Coach Bell. He’s always been keeping up with me,” Miller said. “I like that. It’s personal, you know. Mississippi State is like a family. It’s home.”
Greene County football head coach Terrance Banks said he’s proud of Miller and happy he found his “home” at MSU.
“I’m real proud of him. When I got here, he thought he was a Division I basketball player,” Banks joked. “But he’s worked hard, man. I’m glad he’s been able to get what he wanted, which was a chance to play Division I football. Mississippi State is getting a steal in a kid with so much room to grow. I’m excited to see him lock in for his senior season and ball out. Hopefully, after, we can get him to StarkVegas as fast as possible so we can see him grow into the football player he can be. There’s so much room for growth.”
Miller knows he has the potential to play in the NFL one day but understands that growth is a part of the game. However, before going to Mississippi State, Miller is ready to play his senior season with the Tigers. He has high hopes for Greene County this season.
Throughout the past three seasons, Miller has started at quarterback and safety for Greene County on each side of the ball. This season, however, he’s transitioning to wide receiver on offense due to junior transfer Landon Garrettson taking over at the quarterback position.
“My expectations are high,” Miller said. “I’m trying to do something big – like make a deep playoff run – this year.”