CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Clarion senior Brendan “Bo” Miller recently announced his intentions to continue his athletic career with the Gannon University football squad.
(Photo by Mike Schnelle. Check out more of Schnelle’s work here)
Miller said Gannon wasn’t always his first choice but became his best choice after he won a full-tuition scholar from the university’s admissions office.
“It wasn’t my first choice,” Miller said. “I had talked to their coach, and they said I was a preferred walk on. I went up and competed for a full-tuition scholarship that their admissions office give, and I actually received it. That was the deciding factor.”
Miller will study in Gannon’s Physician’s Assistants Program, a five-year program, and will earn his master’s degree when his schooling is complete.
As for football, Miller, who played both quarterback and defensive back for the Bobcats plans on playing safety for the Golden Knights, a Division 2 program that competes in the ultra-competitive PSAC West.
“I am definitely going to play safety,” Miller said. “They see me as a safety too. That’s what I’ve always liked the most.”
Miller almost didn’t get the chance to play college football after tearing his ACL midway through his junior season.
But after missing the remainder of the 2014 season, he came back strong for Clarion in 2015 and led the team with five interceptions while recording 85 tackles (7.7 per game).
“It’s great to be able to work back through and play for four more years,” Miller said of his recovery from the knee injury.
A three-sport athlete, he also played basketball and baseball for the Bobcats, Miller points to his dad Scott “Scooter” Miller as the person who has had the most influence on his football career.
“He played college football at Lycoming,” Miller said. “He’s been my coach the whole way through. He worked with me, and it has definitely shown.”
Because his dad played college football, Miller said he knows that in order to succeed at the next level he has to be prepared to work harder than he has up to this point.
“My dad has been prepping me since my sophomore year that I have a whole lot ahead of me that I haven’t seen before,” Miller said.
Miller’s young brother, Spencer, will be a junior for Clarion High School next year. His mom is Laura Miller.
