 
Roy Miller: Shrine Game and beyond
Jan. 21, 2009
Hey Longhorns fans, I'm back in Phoenix where I've been for a couple of days now after playing in the Shrine Game down in Houston on Saturday. I was there for a week getting ready before the game, and overall, I think things went well. More than anything, it was a great opportunity to play against other great players. You get to talk to them and see what their college experiences have been like. You even get to talk to some of the players you played against from teams like from Oklahoma and A&M. We were able to come together and gel for the game. One person I really connected with was Jerron Gilbert of San Jose State. He played with Coach Dick Tomey, who was one of our coaches a couple of years ago, so we had some things to talk about. It was a good week, and we got to do a lot, especially going to the hospitals to see the kids. It's interesting because you go on a trip like that thinking about football, impressing scouts and all of these football and business-related things, but then you go to the hospital and it's really humbling and makes you remember that nothing is promised to you. We're all excited about our upcoming careers, while the kids at the hospital are fighting a daily battle with uncertain futures. Hopefully us being there helped them, even for just a little while. As far as on the field, I think I did well. The one thing I really wanted to show the scouts and coaches is my hustle and good work ethic, all the things that might not show up as much on film, and I think I did that. As far as what they told me, they said I improved throughout the week. We're worked on a defense with two gaps for the sake of the game. That puts the defensive line at a bit of a disadvantage, but I had the two gap on the guard, and I think I got better throughout the week. My coach said I did a great job doing that, and that's something I wanted to show. Having worked under Coach Muschamp, who has coached in the NFL, has helped, and having had so many different coordinators, you have to be versatile and take direction well. So I feel like coming from Texas, I'm more prepared than a lot of guys from other places might be.
Of course I wasn't there alone as far as the Longhorns go. I was with (Ryan) Palmer and Doc (Cedric Dockery). One thing I wasn't expecting to be able to do when the season ended was to be able to play with my teammates, especially Palmer on defense wearing a Longhorn helmet again. It was an honor, and it was a great experience for all of us. We were all on the West Team, and although we didn't win, I felt good about the game. It was pretty basic. It was made for the offense to do their thing, but I was able to show myself hustling to the ball. It was a good experience overall. I was glad I was able to go down there and represent the university. We had a lot of support down there, and all of the other players had a lot of respect for the program and were asking for shirts. I think we also got some respect from Coach Stallings since he used to coach at A&M, and I was impressed with him. You knew he was in control, and he took it very seriously. He was firm with his words and I even remember him even getting on the coaches. I have a lot of respect for him. Everything he taught us all week were things I'll never forget. Just listening to him, he and the coaching staff have a lot of history and a lot of experience. He was very much into it, and just like Coach Brown, he cares a lot about his players and wants to see us do well. Now, I'm in Arizona to train for a couple of weeks before the combine. There's no telling what's in the future, but I'm just going to continue to work hard - the same things Mad Dog and everybody taught me at Texas. I'm going to use that and build on it in the next couple of weeks. I think this time will help me a lot, and I'll be working out with Rak (Brian Orakpo), so that will be a benefit to both of us. We do well when we push each other in the weight room. I want to be well rounded at the combine, but I really want to do well on the bench. I want to beat Orakpo, that's all I want to do. I'm kidding about that being my main focus, but I'm not going to lie, I want to beat him, just like he wants to beat me. It's that competitive nature that's helped us get where we are and be successful. I also want to work on my agility and balance, and I want to maintain my weight at about 305. I played at about 305 in this game, but I want to be a solid 305. During the season, I was at 290, so coming from the Fiesta Bowl to the Shrine Game, it was a big jump I made up to 300, but I think 305 is what the scouts want to see me at, and I want to be solid at that weight and ready to show what Texas players are all about. Then I want to put it into a finished product and be able to go to the combine and pro day and compete at a high level. Before I wrap up, I want to thank all of the Longhorn fans out there for all of their support, especially at the Fiesta Bowl. That was a great experience for our whole team, and it's funny that I'm right back here again to train after that game. There's no doubt we beat a really great Ohio State team. They had worked hard and were ready to play, and we could have been disappointed to not be in Miami, but instead we got a great BCS victory and the seniors went out with a perfect bowl record. I don't know all of the history, but I doubt many people can say they went to a bowl every year and never lost, and even less people can say one of those was a National Championship. Texas has been great to me and I'm going to bleed orange for the rest of my life. Hook 'em, Roy |
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