Malik Miller handed the reins

Malik Miller (Madison Living/Jen Fouts-Detulleo)

By Nick Sellers 

With another year comes another set of lofty expectations for Madison Academy, the terror of Class 3A. In 2014, that terror came in the form of Kerryon Johnson, one of the top-25 players in the country and current Auburn star.

Gone are Johnson, three-year starting quarterback Blake Coward, lineman Adam Mann and leading tackler Blake Wimberly.

That means that starting front and center for the Mustangs – on both sides of the ball – is senior running back Malik Miller.

Miller is certainly no esoteric figure to any other team in Class 3A, the Tennessee Valley, the state of Alabama or anyone in the country keen on football recruiting. He’s made himself known as part of the two-headed monster in the offensive backfield during Madison Academy’s championship runs in 2012 and 2013.

In 2014, Miller totaled 1,390 yards rushing to go along with 24 touchdowns, including 126 yards on the ground in the state championship game against Dale County.

Currently rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and ESPN, Miller took away the suspense earlier in the summer by committing to Auburn on June 11. Miller said he partially wanted to commit before the season in order to concentrate on the task ahead of winning a possible fourth-straight title.

“Every year’s a new team,” Miller said. “We have a whole new identity of seniors leading this team.”

The task starts Aug. 21 for the Mustangs, as the team travels down to Leeds for a rematch against the Green Wave, a team that has been an occasional thorn in the side of Madison Academy. Although Madison Academy defeated the Green Wave in the 2013 title game, Leeds has knocked Madison Academy out of the playoffs before and handed the Mustangs their only loss of 2014, a 27-24 heartbreaker on Aug. 22 under the bright lights of ESPNU.

“I don’t even like watching the replays, whenever they show it again on ESPN,” Miller said. “I have to turn it off.”

After the game at Leeds, Madison Academy will face the same arsenal of Region foes, including West Morgan, Sheffield, Colbert County, Colbert Heights, Lauderdale County, Clements and Lexington.

Head coach Eric Cohu stressed that on top of having to shoulder the running game, Malik needs to play the way he’s always played as outside linebacker.

“We would love for him to be as versatile as possible,” Cohu said.

Among his players, Cohu recognized the distinct leadership style of Malik, differing slightly from Johnson the year before.

“His humor is a little more subtle than Kerryon,” Cohu said. “In that way he’s a little different. His work ethic is second to none.”

Often regarded as a fullback in his former years, Miller has trimmed down to 229 pounds, according to his 24/7 Sports profile. Miller is out to show the football world he can be a true, every-down running back.