DECATUR — East Mississippi Community College teammates Adrian Miller and Josh Miller are known for helping finish one another’s sentences when they get together.
It only made sense Thursday that they worked together on one of the biggest plays of No. 1 EMCC’s 24-21 victory against No. 20 East Central C.C. at Bailey Stadium.
Adrian Miller blocked a punt, while Josh
Miller recovered the football and carried it 30 yards for a touchdown.
EMCC (5-0) had just taken a 7-6 lead on a 15-yard run by Deon McIntosh. The punt block came four plays later and pushed the Lions out to a 14-6 advantage.
“It’s just film,” Adrian Miller said. “Each week we watch the film intently. We try to find that one thing we can take advantage of. We felt like this could be a good night on special teams. The punt block thing just comes natural to us.”
As Adrian Miller’s voice trailed off, Josh Miller took over.
“We have been doing this since we were like 7 or 8 years old,” Josh Miller said. “We have played football together our entire lives. It’s just instinct. It’s like second nature. We just want to make plays.”
Adrian and Josh are first cousins, even though they call themselves brothers. The duo played together at West Marion High School. Adrian is in his second year on the field at EMCC. Josh is in his second year at EMCC but first on the field. Josh signed with Jackson State out of high school but missed 2016 due to injury. Surgery knocked him out of the 2017 season.
“It’s like old times,” Adrian Miller said. “We know each other so well. That’s a comfort level. We watch a lot of film together. It’s just a way to get an advantage.”
EMCC had three blocks Thursday night.
Leading 21-15 midway through the third quarter, East Central C.C. appeared to have all the momentum after a 45-yard kickoff return. Starting at the EMCC 30-yard line, East Central C.C. drove to the 13.
On fourth down, former West Point standout Everitt Cunningham broke through to block a 30-yard field goal try by Sam Cox.
“There is nothing more exciting than a big play on special teams,” Adrian Miller said. “It gets everybody pumped up on the sidelines. The crowd gets going, too. The coaches always stress that special teams plays can be the difference.”
In the fourth quarter, East Central C.C. tied it on a 28-yard touchdown from Mario Asagunla to former Starkville Academy standout Torrin Hamilton.
Josh Miller busted through the line this time to block Cox’s potential go-ahead extra point with 3 minutes, 51 seconds left.
“After that, we knew we had the game won,” Josh Miller said. “The offense just had to go down and score. The extra-point play was big because they had just gotten all the momentum. Then we got it all back with that one play.”
It was the second-straight week Miller changed the scoring column. In a 54-13 victory against Mississippi Delta C.C., Adrian Miller scored on a return after Braden Boykin blocked a punt.
“Special teams play can change an entire ballgame,” EMCC coach Buddy Stephens said. “We take pride in putting in the extra hours. On most nights, those types of plays don’t show up. Then you have a game like this. Each special teams play was critical. They changed the entire game.”
Josh Miller predicts more magic is coming.
“The kick-blocking thing is fun,” Josh Miller said. “We plan to get a few more before the year is done.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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