Anderson started the season in a 3-2-6 defense, a dime package with just two linebackers, but halfway through the Bowie game, they moved senior Simon Burns from his position as “Rover” and added him as a strong side linebacker to help stop the Bulldogs rushing attack. This helped a lot, and the Trojans almost completed the comeback, falling just short.
Following that Bowie game, Anderson started to prepare for a matchup against the Johnson Jaguars, and Coaches Hatcher and Maldonado decided it was time to put a new wrinkle into their defense: Pierce Miller.
He’s not a defensive lineman, and he’s not a true linebacker either. He’s an edge rusher, a twitchy blitzer on the end of the line, and a brutal run-stopper. Pierce Miller is a “Jack” linebacker, and in Anderson’s system, he’s called “The Joker”.
In a 3-4 scheme (3 linemen, 4 linebackers), the extra backer is often a Jack, a hybrid between a down lineman and a linebacker that is mainly relied on to rush the quarterback and stop the run. While it’s not unheard of, it’s much more rare for the Jack to drop back into coverage compared to the other linebackers.
Despite a tough opponent and no varsity experience, Pierce showed flashes against the Jags. He only recorded 3 tackles, but he showed he belonged at the varsity level, and earned another start the next week. In the ensuing game against Akins, he was even better, racking up 9 tackles and 2 TFLs against the Eagles and taking that run-stopper role to heart.
He may be young, he may be inexperienced, but he’s been good. Really good.
Pierce told me he was “definitely nervous going into the games but knew [he] could succeed” and he certainly did. Coach Holcomb, the Trojans’ linebacker coach said that success is because Miller “bought into the SWARM mindset and mentality.” Additionally, When I mentioned Pierce, several coaches told me that his “smarts” and the mental aspect of his game are extremely impressive. Despite being so inexperienced, he’s being heralded as one of the smartest defenders Anderson has and it shows in his play on the field.
“He’s a very good athlete but his savviness shines bright when unexpected situations arise.”
– Coach Hatcher
Clearly, Miller has shined through three games, and although he’s played in under half of the Trojans contests this season, Pierce ranks 5th on the team with 3 TFLs. He’s also top 5 in tackles per game with 4.7, so this begs the question: why didn’t he start the season on varsity?
To answer, you have to go back to football’s offseason last spring when Pierce suffered an injury. He didn’t let that faze him though and worked tirelessly throughout the summer and fall to get back to the varsity level, and by midseason “he had proven that he was ready to be moved up” according to Coach Hatcher.
With a trio of games left on Anderson’s schedule, Pierce figures to continue to factor into the lineup in different packages. He’s made the most of his time so far, now he needs to show he can be a consistent threat for the Trojans’ front seven. “We have very high expectations for him that we know he is going to surpass,” Coach Hatcher said.
