Missouri's spring football practices are underway, and that has given PowerMizzou a chance to catch up with a few Tiger players. Newcomers to the program have not been made available to the media yet, so we will focus on getting reacquainted with players who redshirted last season or missed time due to an injury. After Tuesday's practice, we talked with sophomore linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr., who broke his left fibula during Missouri's third game of the season a year ago. Miller ultimately returned to the lineup but only saw meaningful game action on special teams.
Question: First of all, a few practices into spring, how are you feeling so far?
Aubrey Miller: “I’m feeling very motivated. Just because last year I missed out, I wasn’t doing what I had to be doing, now I’m finally back on track with my team, following in Terez (Hall)'s footsteps. It just feels good to be out here making plays.”
Q: What was hardest part of going a period of last season without playing?
AM: “The hardest part was just you missing out on reps, you missing out on full activity, on how it is to be on the field. You know, with the injuries, you missing lift time. So it was a whole lot of stuff. I was missing the environment of the game.”
Q: Was there any area in which you felt like you improved during the time off?
AM: “To be honest, my attitude. Because when I first got here I was just so strong-headed, I wasn’t just playing. I was selfish. But now I can say, like, I’m a team player now. ... I listen more. I follow what I have to do, I take care of what I have to do and I execute it.”
Q: Was there anyone specific who helped you through last season?
AM: “Somebody who really helped me was really coach Odom, coach Brian Odom, and also I would say my teammates. I used to come in (to the locker room) so heated, I used to come in always mad, I used to come in upset and they would always come and they tell me be patient. They'd tell me I just need to learn the game. Also coach Barry Odom, he helped me just by making me realize that everything is not given, you know, you really gotta work for it.”
Q: You would come in upset about just not being able to play?
AM: “That was when I first got (to campus). You just come from a big school, you come (from) dominating, and it just doesn’t come to you. Everything is not given to everybody. ... You have to work for it on all levels. And I didn’t realize that, and now I do.”
Q: It looked like you had a big hit today. Take me through that play.
AM: “It was just what I’ve been doing all my life. I just finally got that rhythm back. Before, I wasn’t doing that, but now, I’m comfortable with the game now, the college level, it’s just like high school again to me. It’s just regular. I just felt how I used to feel. I just executed.”
Q: Is that kind of a theme for you this spring? Are you feeling the way you used to feel in high school?
AM: “Yeah, I’m feeling way better. I’m out here, I’m hyped, I’m leading the team, they’re listening to me, so it’s like, yeah, it feels just how it was.”
Q: How does feeling like that help you play better?
AM: "It’s all on football. I’m not worried about anything else. When I’m focused I’m just worried about me, my team, and winning the game. That’s it.”
