Single-season passing yards record far from Miller's mind on special night

ONTARIO — Bodpegn Miller had a memorable Friday night in Week 10.

He completed 15-of-25 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown while running for 85 yards and two more scores on 10 carries leading his Ontario Warriors to a 34-20 win over Highland. The 215 yards officially made him the all-time single-season passing yards king in Ontario football history passing Ethan Snyder's 1,882-yard mark set in 2020. Miller became the first quarterback to ever throw for 2,000 yards in a season for the Warriors and he extended his career yards mark to 3,859 passing Mike Murray's previous career record of 3,524 set way back in 1991-1994.

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He inched closer to Snyder's single-season passing TDs mark of 21 with his 17th of the year and moved to within two TDs of tying Jake Mochoskay's career mark of 34. Miller now has 32 in his career.

And none of those things will come close to what he will remember most from a night that should have been all about him. Instead, he will remember how his team clinched a share of the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship for the first time in program history and the first league title since winning the North Central Conference way back in 2004, before Miller was even born.

A special night for Miller? No way. In his mind, it was a special night for the Warriors.

"I don't think I will remember that at all," Miller said. "What I will remember is going to battle with my boys, getting the job done and celebrating a league championship with my teammates."

That has been Miller's M.O. since he stepped foot on the football field for the Warriors. As a freshman, he was tabbed the starter from Day 1, but suffered a hand injury that caused him to miss games and only throw for 269 yards on 18-of-37 passing.

But he followed that up with an outstanding performance as a sophomore going for 1,586 yards and 15 touchdowns on 112-of-186 attempts. He followed that up with his best season yet as a junior going 132-for-207 for 2,004 yards and 17 TDs in the 2023 regular season.

But the only number he even thinks about is nine, the number of wins the Warriors piled up for the best record since going 10-0 in 2001 and 1964. The nine wins are tied for the second most in a season with the 1965, 1968 and 1976 Ontario football teams.

And he isn't done yet. The Warriors host Rocky River Lutheran West on Friday night in the first round of the playoffs. With a win, the Warriors will win just their third playoff game in program history and Miller will be under center for the historic moment.

And he has another year left.

"He has done such a great job this season and I am so excited to see him take his game to the next level next year," Ontario coach Aaron Eckert said. "He has gotten so much more confident in himself and is a kid who was always the best athlete growing up, but in high school playing against 18-year-old men, that 14-year-old kid can take a hit to the pride, but he took it in stride. He got hurt his freshman year and got a full year to start as a sophomore, but has really blossomed this year."

Miller's teams have been 18-13 in the last three years. The Warriors went 3-7 his freshman year before a 6-5 record last year and now, 9-1 and still going. Every year, the Warriors have shown tremendous improvement with Miller in the shotgun.

"It feels good because it proves that I have been putting in the work to be the best quarterback for my team," Miller said. "It feels good when that work finally pays off."

And again, he deflects any of the credit. He directs all of that to his receivers. Senior wideout Dylan Floyd, who had a big night himself against Highland with nine catches for 124 yards giving him 1,066 for his career and making him just the sixth Warrior to ever reach that mark, has seen firsthand the work Miller puts in to be the best QB possible for the Warriors.

"It's almost every single day we are throwing routes to each other," Floyd said. "All it takes is for us to lock eyes with each other and we both know we can trust each other to get it done. He has been great and I couldn't ask for much better out of my quarterback. He does so much more than what is asked of him and exceeds all expectations. He makes all of us look good."

Floyd came up with several big catches against Highland and Miller knew he along with Quin Frankhouse, who has 509 yards on the season, and Landon Foltz, who has 426, could be counted on along with every receiver in his arsenal.

"It feels so good knowing I have several guys I can depend on whenever I need to be bailed out," Miller said. "I can just throw it up to these guys and they have my back."

Senior running back Chase Studer, who has played with Miller since the third grade and saw very early how special he was, is proud to see his QB blossom into his full potential.

Studer has helped in major ways, too, making the Warriors multidimensional with his running ability. He has 2,909 yards and 32 TDs in his career needing just 91 to become only the second running back in Ontario history to post 3,000 for his career joining Jordan Campbell who did it from 2009-2012. He needs just 21 to become the second all-time leading rusher and currently sits behind Albin McNight who ran for 2,930 from 2001-2005. During Studer's sophomore season, he became just the 13th player to ever rush for 1,000 yards in a season when he led the MOAC with 1,065 yards.

But Studer gives Miller the credit for allowing him to have running lanes while opposing defenses focus on stopping Miller instead.

"He is such a dynamic player," Studer said. "If teams play us to stop the pass, he is going to take over the game with his legs and when teams sell out to stop the run, he has one of the best arms I have ever seen. He is a great kid and I am so happy to play with him. He is such a team player and loves his teammates and always puts us first no matter what."

And that is the way Miller will approach the Week 11 matchup. He will have trust in his teammates and coaches and in turn, they will trust him to make special plays, just as he has done all season long.

"He is special," Eckert said. "It is always a good thing for the Warriors when he has the ball in his hands. What he brings to the table is not only is he a great athlete, but he really is a tremendous quarterback and he does things the right way. He understands the game and it has really slowed down for him. He is not a guy who is going to look at his first read and if it isn't there, take off to run. He goes through his progressions and is developing at a high level."

Possibly at a level never seen in Ontario Warrior football history.

Possibly? Definitly.

jfurr@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Bodpegn Miller became the single-season passing yards record holder in win