Gameday Feature: Ishmiah Miles
10/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 8, 2014
It’s no secret Stephen F. Austin’s defense has been playing with a chip on its shoulder this season. And for good reason.
The Lumberjacks were statistically one of the worst teams in the country in 2013, allowing 49.3 points and 527.8 yards per game. Those numbers came in spite of a productive season from defensive end Ishmiah Miles, who tallied 41 tackles and led the team in both tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (five).
But despite having some of the top numbers in the conference among defensive linemen, Miles was snubbed when the All-Southland Conference teams were announced. Which is something he’s making his personal quest to make sure doesn’t happen again.
“Honestly, I felt a little disrespected last year, feeling I hadn’t gotten enough credit for what I did,” Miles said. “I had just as good of stats as the guys they selected over me, so its given me a chip on my shoulder all year. Since they doubted me, I’m ready to prove them wrong.”
So far through the first four games of 2014, Miles has begun the process of turning heads. The senior ranks fifth on the team in total tackles with 17, including five solo stops. Once again, he leads the Lumberjacks with 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, posting one solo sack and assisting on two others in the victory against Weber State on September 20th.
Not bad production from someone who began his football career as a wide receiver.
“I couldn’t catch,” admitted Miles. “I’ve never had the best hands. So (my coaches) moved me to cornerback, but I didn’t like playing corner either. In high school, one of my teammates suggested I try out for the end position, so I moved down the line and found the spot I needed to be.”
Growing up in Sachse, a suburb on the east side of the DFW Metroplex, Miles had his first experience at changing a culture to a positive. He was moved from up to varsity the final game of his sophomore season, then took on a challenge from his coaching staff as he prepared for his final two high school seasons.
“The coaches told me if I got in the weight room and got bigger, I’d be able to start,” Miles recalls. “I spent that entire summer in the weight room and I’ve never really stopped since then. I’m always in the weight room.”
Those hours paid off as Miles helped the Mustangs start to turn the program around. Before he started suiting up for the varsity team, Sachse hadn’t won a district game in two seasons. In his final two seasons, Miles helped guide the Mustangs to five district victories, just missing out on a playoff berth his senior year.
Yet despite averaging eight tackles a game with four sacks and sitting just shy of 6-2 and 250 lbs., Miles flew under the radar when it came to recruiting.
“SFA was the only school that showed serious interest,” Miles said. “I had a few others that were interested, but I liked SFA. I knew I wanted to be here.”
However, as Signing Day drew near, the Lumberjacks were eyeing some junior college transfers, leaving Miles without an scholarship. He was considering his walk-on options when on the morning of the Signing Day Blizzard of 2011, Miles received a phone call from the Lumberjacks with a scholarship offer.
“It came at the last minute, but I knew it was where I wanted to be,” Miles said. “There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I wasn’t going to come here. (SFA) had faith in me, and I was going to make sure I did everything I could to show them they made the right decision.”
A constant in the Lumberjack defensive line for the past four seasons, Miles has done his share to help reinforce that decision. But perhaps no game has had a bigger bearing on his abilities than the Lumberjacks’ victory over second-ranked Montana State in 2013. With SFA on top 45-38 and the Bobcats driving in the fourth quarter, Miles notched a tackle for loss on first down, then registered a sack on third down of the same drive to help stave off a possible Montana State rally.
But the road hasn’t always been a smooth one for Miles or the rest of the Lumberjacks. This season marks the fourth different position coach for the defensive line, something which has forced Miles to step into the leadership role earlier than most are asked to do so.
Now heading into his senior season, Miles was once again faced with the challenge of embracing a new coaching staff, but this time it was one that brought a new philosophy, scheme and expectations. Even for the experienced veteran, there was a new set of fundamentals to learn. But it once again reinforced Miles’ attitude when it comes to the game of football.
“They were coaching me to drop back into coverage, which is something I’d never really done before,” Miles said. “My footwork was off and my fundamentals in that regard needed some work, but they were patient and motivated me. In the offseason I knew what I had to fix, so it motivated me to be the best I could be to prove to them I could play in their scheme. I’ve always been a guy who if you doubt me, I’m going to work that much harder to prove you wrong. That’s when I shine.”
Miles’ leadership and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by the new Lumberjack coaching staff. One of the top honors Miles said he has received during his time in Nacogdoches came when he was the ‘Jack selected to swing the axe prior to the game against A&M-Commerce on September 13th.
“I was honored that I was the first person coach Conque chose to do it,” Miles said. “It’s humbling to think a coaching staff thinks that highly of you. Honestly when it came time to actually do it, I got a little nervous and was just hoping I wouldn’t miss (the log). I swear, I hit it with all I had and I had to do a double-take for when it didn’t stick. I just think they needed to sharpen it.”
As he begins to embark on the final Southland Conference slate of his SFA career, Miles continues to have lofty goals for both himself and the team – goals that only become more important to him the more he gets doubted.
“Before I leave, I want SFA to be known as a defensive-minded school,” said Miles. “I know we’ve always been known for offense but I want to help change that culture. Defense is what wins championships, and that’s how I want SFA to be. I want people to know that when they come to face the Lumberjacks, they are in for a fight. We understand how things were around here the last couple of years. We’ve heard it. Our goal is to change that perception of SFA.”
-SFA-
Each home game, the Lumberjack Game Day program will feature one of the SFA players, giving fans an inside look at one of their favorite Lumberjacks. For the game against Central Arkansas, Lumberjack Game Day profiled senior defensive end Ishmiah Miles. Be sure to pick up your copy of the 2014 Lumberjack Game Day program each home game.
It’s no secret Stephen F. Austin’s defense has been playing with a chip on its shoulder this season. And for good reason.
The Lumberjacks were statistically one of the worst teams in the country in 2013, allowing 49.3 points and 527.8 yards per game. Those numbers came in spite of a productive season from defensive end Ishmiah Miles, who tallied 41 tackles and led the team in both tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (five).
But despite having some of the top numbers in the conference among defensive linemen, Miles was snubbed when the All-Southland Conference teams were announced. Which is something he’s making his personal quest to make sure doesn’t happen again.
“Honestly, I felt a little disrespected last year, feeling I hadn’t gotten enough credit for what I did,” Miles said. “I had just as good of stats as the guys they selected over me, so its given me a chip on my shoulder all year. Since they doubted me, I’m ready to prove them wrong.”
So far through the first four games of 2014, Miles has begun the process of turning heads. The senior ranks fifth on the team in total tackles with 17, including five solo stops. Once again, he leads the Lumberjacks with 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, posting one solo sack and assisting on two others in the victory against Weber State on September 20th.
Not bad production from someone who began his football career as a wide receiver.
“I couldn’t catch,” admitted Miles. “I’ve never had the best hands. So (my coaches) moved me to cornerback, but I didn’t like playing corner either. In high school, one of my teammates suggested I try out for the end position, so I moved down the line and found the spot I needed to be.”
Growing up in Sachse, a suburb on the east side of the DFW Metroplex, Miles had his first experience at changing a culture to a positive. He was moved from up to varsity the final game of his sophomore season, then took on a challenge from his coaching staff as he prepared for his final two high school seasons.
“The coaches told me if I got in the weight room and got bigger, I’d be able to start,” Miles recalls. “I spent that entire summer in the weight room and I’ve never really stopped since then. I’m always in the weight room.”
Those hours paid off as Miles helped the Mustangs start to turn the program around. Before he started suiting up for the varsity team, Sachse hadn’t won a district game in two seasons. In his final two seasons, Miles helped guide the Mustangs to five district victories, just missing out on a playoff berth his senior year.
Yet despite averaging eight tackles a game with four sacks and sitting just shy of 6-2 and 250 lbs., Miles flew under the radar when it came to recruiting.
“SFA was the only school that showed serious interest,” Miles said. “I had a few others that were interested, but I liked SFA. I knew I wanted to be here.”
However, as Signing Day drew near, the Lumberjacks were eyeing some junior college transfers, leaving Miles without an scholarship. He was considering his walk-on options when on the morning of the Signing Day Blizzard of 2011, Miles received a phone call from the Lumberjacks with a scholarship offer.
“It came at the last minute, but I knew it was where I wanted to be,” Miles said. “There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I wasn’t going to come here. (SFA) had faith in me, and I was going to make sure I did everything I could to show them they made the right decision.”
A constant in the Lumberjack defensive line for the past four seasons, Miles has done his share to help reinforce that decision. But perhaps no game has had a bigger bearing on his abilities than the Lumberjacks’ victory over second-ranked Montana State in 2013. With SFA on top 45-38 and the Bobcats driving in the fourth quarter, Miles notched a tackle for loss on first down, then registered a sack on third down of the same drive to help stave off a possible Montana State rally.
But the road hasn’t always been a smooth one for Miles or the rest of the Lumberjacks. This season marks the fourth different position coach for the defensive line, something which has forced Miles to step into the leadership role earlier than most are asked to do so.
Now heading into his senior season, Miles was once again faced with the challenge of embracing a new coaching staff, but this time it was one that brought a new philosophy, scheme and expectations. Even for the experienced veteran, there was a new set of fundamentals to learn. But it once again reinforced Miles’ attitude when it comes to the game of football.
“They were coaching me to drop back into coverage, which is something I’d never really done before,” Miles said. “My footwork was off and my fundamentals in that regard needed some work, but they were patient and motivated me. In the offseason I knew what I had to fix, so it motivated me to be the best I could be to prove to them I could play in their scheme. I’ve always been a guy who if you doubt me, I’m going to work that much harder to prove you wrong. That’s when I shine.”
Miles’ leadership and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by the new Lumberjack coaching staff. One of the top honors Miles said he has received during his time in Nacogdoches came when he was the ‘Jack selected to swing the axe prior to the game against A&M-Commerce on September 13th.
“I was honored that I was the first person coach Conque chose to do it,” Miles said. “It’s humbling to think a coaching staff thinks that highly of you. Honestly when it came time to actually do it, I got a little nervous and was just hoping I wouldn’t miss (the log). I swear, I hit it with all I had and I had to do a double-take for when it didn’t stick. I just think they needed to sharpen it.”
As he begins to embark on the final Southland Conference slate of his SFA career, Miles continues to have lofty goals for both himself and the team – goals that only become more important to him the more he gets doubted.
“Before I leave, I want SFA to be known as a defensive-minded school,” said Miles. “I know we’ve always been known for offense but I want to help change that culture. Defense is what wins championships, and that’s how I want SFA to be. I want people to know that when they come to face the Lumberjacks, they are in for a fight. We understand how things were around here the last couple of years. We’ve heard it. Our goal is to change that perception of SFA.”
-SFA-
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