PRAIRIE GROVE -- Ethan Miller has, admittedly, sometimes been too fast for his own good.
The Prairie Grove senior running back and all-state track star, who runs sprints for the Tigers during the spring, said his eyes get big whenever he sees open green grass ahead of him. However, now as a seasoned leader on the team, his running style has changed a bit from when he first sported the black and gold uniform.
"I think I can always make it," Miller said of getting into the end zone. "But now, I think I'm a patient runner."
Seven games into the school's inaugural season in Class 5A, Prairie Grove (6-1, 4-0 5A-West) has leaned on not only Miller's speed, but also his composure.
"He's always been fast," Prairie Grove Coach Danny Abshier said. "But this year, he's learned some patience in his running, which has added to the abilities he has. We try to run our offense and the plays as fast as we can. And, you know, he's a little faster than the average guy, so you have to adapt a little bit.
"He would outrun some of his blocking sometimes. But now he's learned a little bit of patience, and he saves up just a little bit at the right time, he sees a hole, and then you can see him kick it into and change gears a lot of times. He just continues to improve."
Gaining better patience from trusting his blockers is something he's learned playing under Abshier in the team's old-school, Wing-T offense. The result of running hard while having a better understanding of the schemes has resulted in a stellar start to his 2022 campaign. In the team's last outing alone, a 50-27 win over Dardanelle, Miller rushed for 171 yards and four touchdowns. All four scores came on runs of more than 40 yards.
"It takes a lot," Miller said of having breakout performances. "If you miss one block, then it's not going anywhere. Our line has really stepped up and they've been getting their blocks and our other skill positions have gotten a lot better, too. Making sure they get their blocks. That's really why I'm having this season."
The combination of speed and patience Miller shows has been paired with another key feature: strength.
"He's extremely strong," Abshier said. "He's always lifting weights and he likes lifting."
Accompanying the physical skills, the running back has an overarching intangible benefit. Miller, who has attended Prairie Grove since kindergarten, has a large sense of pride wearing the word "Tigers" across the front of his jersey, something he said contributes to his performance.
"I've always looked up to like the older guys," Miller said of watching Prairie Grove play when he was younger. "I just always wished I was where they were. And now I'm in that spot to where I am like the people that I used to look up. I'm in that spot now, and it just feels pretty good. I want to be someone others look up to, too."
His marquee performance so far this season came when the Tigers upset conference foe Harrison 46-40. In the game, Miller ran the ball 16 times for 295 yards and three touchdowns. His runs were explosive, scoring on runs of 64, 44 and 83 yards.
While Miller admitted the game felt good from an individual performance standard, his favorite part was coming together as a team and getting the win. It was a game the Tigers won by scoring on a 68-yard flea-flicker pass with 14 seconds remaining.
"Everyone just had to keep pushing through whenever we thought that we were down," Miller said. "We couldn't beat ourselves. We can't let our heads hang low. We just had to keep our heads up, and we knew that every play counted. I just did my best, and I felt pretty good. I wouldn't say it was all me though, I couldn't do what I do without my teammates."
Tonight, Miller and the Tigers take their undefeated 5A-West record on the road to Alma (5-2, 2-2) for one of the team's biggest challenges to date. Abshier said his team is going to enter the game doing what it has all season jumping up from 4A to 5A: having belief.
"Our mindset is we've moved as a school from 2A to 3A, 4A and I guess it's time for 5A," Abshier said. "You know, we are the smallest but what I've told the team all year is this, there's somebody that's gonna be on the top, and somebody that's gonna be at the bottom. And we're sure not gonna be the ones at the bottom."
Prairie Grove senior Ethan Miller takes off for a big gain against Gravette in a game played earlier this season. The Tigers are seeking a playoff berth in their first season in the 5A-West Conference with Miller leading the way. Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL
Prairie Grove senior Ethan Miller takes off for a big gain against Gravette in a game played earlier this season. The Tigers are seeking a playoff berth in their first season in the 5A-West Conference with Miller leading the way. Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL