Michigan’s Miller quit due to concussion fears
Jack Miller: ‘I’m ready to walk away’
Former Michigan starting center Jack Miller announced earlier this month he would not play his senior season and on Wednesday he told ESPN concern about the long-term impact from past and possible future concussions was a factor in the decision.
“I know I’ve had a few and it’s nice walking away before things could’ve gotten worse,” Miller said. “And yes, multiple schools have reached out. But I’m ready to walk away from it. My health and happiness is more important than a game.”
Miller is focused on finishing his degree and pursuing business opportunities. Miller said he had one concussion in high school and “probably” two or three at Michigan, though he said he reported only one.
“I wanted to keep playing,” Miller said. “You’re supposed to be tough in this game, everyone carries that attitude.”
Miller played in 22 games at Michigan. He started 16 times, including all of the 2014 season, when he won the team’s award for best lineman of the year.
“I know it’s pretty unorthodox for a 21-year-old to see past his own nose,” he said. “This game requires such a passion to excel, and my flame is burned out.
“However, I’d be lying if I said that the concussion thing doesn’t scare me a little.”
Miller said he isn’t sure if he would allow a future son to play the game.
“Football has taught me so much about life, it’s incredible how much I’ve learned from it. That’s why my dad ultimately wanted me to play the game at a young age, then we found out I was good,” he said. “But is it worth the potential injury? Really tough call.”
Miller’s brother Matt was a highly-recruited Wisconsin offensive lineman who retired after freshmen preseason workouts due to the effects of multiple concussions suffered in high school.
The Big Ten has announced an independent athletic trainer will be stationed in the video replay booth in the 2015 season to look for players who show visible signs of a concussion.
The move came after Michigan was criticized for its handling of a head injury sustained by quarterback Shane Morris in September.
Morris, whose center was Miller, was allowed to play after taking a late hit that left him wobbly.
“It’s a good gesture,” Miller said, adding he likes a new NFL policy that will allow for a medical timeout to be called if a player appears shaken or disoriented.
LSU’s Jayden Daniels tops veteran AP All-America college football team
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Associated Press
Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels from LSU was one of seven players in either their fifth or sixth season of college football selected to The Associated Press’ All-America team announced Monday.
Daniels, a fifth-year quarterback, won the Heisman and AP player of the year honors last week after accounting for 50 touchdowns and nearly 5,000 yards of offense this season.
He was joined in the backfield by Missouri’s Cody Schrader, a sixth-year running back and former Division II player who leads the nation at 124.9 rushing yards per game.
The other sixth-year player on the AP first team was NC State linebacker Payton Wilson, who won the Chuck Bednarik Award as national defensive player of the year.
Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe, edge rushers Laiatu Latu from UCLA and Jalen Green from James Madison, and Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat were the other fifth-year players to make the first team.
College players who were in school during the 2020 pandemic season were granted an extra year of eligibility, and they are still making their presence felt around the country.
Eleven more fifth-year players made the second and third teams, and there were eight sixth-year players selected to those teams, including Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the Heisman runner up. Penix and the second-ranked Huskies face No. 3 Texas in the College Football Playoff’s Sugar Bowl semifinal Jan. 1.
Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt and Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. were selected first-team All-Americans for the second straight year. Beebe and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers moved up from second team last season to first this year.
No. 5 Alabama led all teams with three first-team All-Americans, all on the defensive side: cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold and linebacker Dallas Turner.
The Crimson Tide, seeded fourth in the College Football Playoff, faces No. 1 Michigan in the Rose Bowl CFP semifinal Jan. 1.
The SEC has the most first-team selections with nine, followed by the Big Ten (6), Pac-12 (4), Big 12 (3), independents (2) and the ACC, MAC and Sun Belt with one each.
The AP All-America team was selected by a panel of 18 college Top 25 poll voters.
FIRST TEAM (offense)
Quarterback: Jayden Daniels, fifth-year, LSU.
Running backs: Ollie Gordon II, second-year, Oklahoma State; Cody Schrader, sixth-year, Missouri.
Tackles: Joe Alt, third-year, Notre Dame; Olu Fashanu, fourth-year, Penn State.
Guards: Cooper Beebe, fifth-year, Kansas State; Zak Zinter, fourth-year, Michigan.
Center: Jackson Powers-Johnson, third-year, Oregon.
Tight end: Brock Bowers, third-year, Georgia.
Wide receivers: Malik Nabers, third-year, LSU; Marvin Harrison Jr., third-year, Ohio State; Rome Odunze, fourth-year, Washington.
All-purpose player: Travis Hunter, second-year, Colorado.
Kicker: Graham Nicholson, third-year, Miami (Ohio).
FIRST TEAM (defense)
Edge rushers: Laiatu Latu, fifth-year, UCLA; Jalen Green, fifth-year, James Madison.
Interior linemen: T’Vondre Sweat, fifth-year, Texas; Jer’Zhan Newton, fourth-year, Illinois.
Linebackers: Payton Wilson, sixth-year, North Carolina State; Edgerrin Cooper, fourth-year, Texas A&M; Dallas Turner, third-year, Alabama.
Cornerbacks: Cooper DeJean, third-year, Iowa; Kool-Aid McKinstry, third-year, Alabama.
Safeties: Malaki Starks, second-year, Georgia; Xavier Watts, fourth-year, Notre Dame.
Defensive back: Terrion Arnold, third-year, Alabama.
Punter: Tory Taylor, fourth-year, Iowa.
SECOND TEAM (offense)
Quarterback: Michael Penix Jr., sixth-year, Washington.
Running backs: Audric Estime, third-year, Notre Dame; Omarion Hampton, second-year, North Carolina.
Tackles: Taliese Fuaga, fourth-year, Oregon State; JC Latham, third-year, Alabama.
Guards: Tate Ratledge, fourth-year, Georgia; Clay Webb, fifth-year, Jacksonville State.
Center: Sedrick Van Pran, fourth-year, Georgia.
Tight ends: Dallin Holker, fifth-year, Colorado State.
Wide receivers: Troy Franklin, third-year, Oregon; Malik Washington, fifth-year, Virginia; Luther Burden III, second-year, Missouri.
All-purpose player: Ashton Jeanty, second-year, Boise State.
Kicker: Jose Pizano, third-year, UNLV.
SECOND TEAM (defense)
Edge rushers: Jonah Elliss, third-year, Utah; Jared Verse, fourth-year, Florida State.
Interior linemen: Byron Murphy II, third-year, Texas; Howard Cross III, fifth-year, Notre Dame.
Linebackers: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., third-year, Clemson; Jason Henderson, third-year, Old Dominion; Jay Higgins, fourth-year, Iowa.
Cornerbacks: Quinyon Mitchell, fourth-year, Toledo; Beanie Bishop Jr., sixth-year, West Virginia.
Safeties: Tyler Nubin, fifth-year, Minnesota; Caleb Downs, first-year, Alabama.
Defensive back: Kris Abrams-Draine, fourth-year, Missouri.
Punter: Matthew Hayball, sixth-year, Vanderbilt.
THIRD TEAM (offense)
Quarterback: Bo Nix, fifth-year, Oregon.
Running backs: Blake Corum, fourth-year, Michigan; Kimani Vidal, fourth-year, Troy.
Tackles: Javon Foster, sixth-year, Missouri; Troy Fautanu, fifth-year, Washington.
Guards: Christian Haynes, sixth-year, UConn; Luke Kandra, fourth-year, Cincinnati.
Center: Zach Frazier, fourth-year, West Virginia.
Tight end: Ben Sinnott, fourth-year, Kansas State.
Wide receivers: Ricky White, fourth-year, UNLV; Brian Thomas Jr., third-year, LSU; Tetairoa McMillan, second-year, Arizona.
All-purpose player: Xavier Worthy, third-year, Texas.
Kicker: Will Reichard, fifth-year, Alabama.
THIRD TEAM (defense)
Edge rushers: Chop Robinson, third-year, Penn State; Bralen Trice, fifth-year, Washington.
Interior linemen: Kris Jenkins, fourth-year, Michigan; Braden Fiske, sixth-year, Florida State.
Linebackers: Nathaniel Watson, sixth-year, Mississippi State; Edefuan Ulofoshio, sixth-year, Washington; Danny Stutsman, third-year, Oklahoma.
Cornerbacks: Ricardo Hallman, third-year, Wisconsin; T.J. Tampa, fourth-year, Iowa State.
Safeties: Trey Taylor, fifth-year, Air Force; Dillon Thieneman, first-year, Purdue.
Defensive back: Sebastian Castro, fifth-year, Iowa.
Punter: James Ferguson-Reynolds, second-year, Boise State.