It is Miller’s time
- Updated: October 28, 2022
Saks coach Jonathan Miller scores his 100th career football coaching victory in Wildcats’ rout of Talladega
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
TALLADEGA – Saks football coach Jonathan Miller is the kind of guy who doesn’t like people to make a fuss over. He just wants to go about his business, win some games, have some quiet influence over his charges and then go onto the next thing.
But this time it was all about him or rather for him. There are certain milestones in a coach’s career worth celebrating and Friday night was one of them.
Miller, the winningest coach at Saks in two sports, scored the 100th victory of his football coaching career in a 62-24 rout of Talladega in the Wildcats’ regular-season finale.
He is now 100-31 in 11 seasons as the Wildcats’ football coach. He passed Jack Stewart as the winningest football coach in Saks history in 2019. He also is the winningest basketball coach in school history. Even at this point of his career he has won more games than many get to coach.
Among the active Calhoun County traditional football coaches, only the Smiths — Clint (Jacksonville), Jeff (Wellborn) and Steve (Piedmont) — have more career wins.
The Wildcats made easy work of the milestone game. Gavin Doss rushed for 202 yards, Dorrien Walker rushed for 122 and both scored four touchdowns. They led 28-11 at halftime, then erupted for 27 points in the third quarter.
After the game, the Wildcats gave him the traditional water bucket shower and then gathered around him with a big “It’s Miller Time” banner in the background and presented commemorative plaques to the head coach and the two assistants who have been with him through it all, Wes Ginn and Craig Norton.
“Obviously, I’m not a big fan of all that stuff,” Miller said. “It’s kind of a celebration for our whole community because there’s been a lot of people who played a big part in this. I’m not big on the banners and the plaques and all this kind of stuff, but I do take pride in the fact we’ve been able to be successful and been able to follow that up with three region titles and played all over the state in the playoffs. I’ve got a lot of good memories there.
“A lot of people played a big role in this. We’ve had some great players come through here the past 11 years and without them this wouldn’t be possible. I’ve had numerous coaches with me. I’ve had Coach Ginn and Coach Norton who have been with me for every win. I’ve had former players who have coached for me and I’ve had great administration the whole time. All those things have played a big part in the success we’ve been able to have.”
He’s had only one losing season and it’s been the only year he’s missed the playoffs. He’s won at least two playoff games each of the last four years the Wildcats have gone to the playoffs. Not a bad run for a guy who initially wasn’t sure if this was the right place or time for him to become a head coach when then Saks principal Jody Whaley approached him about succeeding Clint Smith, who was leaving to take the head coaching job at Jacksonville.
“When Mr. Whaley offered me this job and I was deciding whether to take it or not, I knew I wanted to be a football coach, but didn’t know it was the right time, right place,” he said. “A lot of people tried give me advice on what I should do, but the one thing that kind of stuck with me was real simple.
“It’s hard to get a good job as a football coach where you can be successful. So, if you think you can get it done, then you need to take it. That, to me, was the best piece of advice I got 11 years ago and here we are 100 wins later.”
Miller may be reluctant to toot his own horn, but others gladly will do it for him.
“This guy doesn’t get the credit he deserves,” former Saks assistant and current Munford head coach Michael Easley said in a Twitter post. “Winning 100 games in only 11 years is big time. Winningest coach in school history in football and basketball. There aren’t many coaches in the history of our state that can say that.”
Football has been a part of Miller’s persona from the time he first stretched out his favorite Auburn blanket and played a football game with his Matchbox cars as players. But there is more to him than what you see on the field. His wife, Lauren, tears up when she talks about all he brings to the table.
She has a successful career in her own right and regularly travels the country attending and conducting professional meetings, leaving her coach-husband to manage a household that includes 9-year-old son Knox and 8-month old Wynn and get ready for the weekend’s game.
“He is the most hands-on father, there’s nothing that’s ever that’s not a guy’s job or that’s not my job; it doesn’t matter what it is, he’s going to handle it, he’s going to do it, he never complains and he’s so supportive of me,” Lauren said. “Not only is he a great coach, but he’s doing this while he’s a supportive husband and an amazing parent.
“I don’t think he understands how grateful I am for him and how well he holds down things and how amazing he is that he’s able to do everything that he does and is just so supportive of me to be able to reach my goals and dreams. There’s not a lot of men who would say go to Vegas for five days and I’ll take care of the baby and the 10-year-old and do practice and watch film for my last game of the season. He’s amazing.”
| SAKS (62) | TALL (24) | |
| 21 | 1st Downs | 11 |
| 475 | Rushing yards | 58 |
| 2-5-0 | Passing (C-A-I) | 10-24-1 |
| 23 | Passing yds | 145 |
| 1 | Fumbles lost | 1 |
| 6-55 | Penalties-yds | 8-64 |
| Saks (7-3) | 14 | 14 | 27 | 7 – | 62 |
| Talladega (0-10) | 0 | 11 | 6 | 7 – | 24 |
S: Gavin Doss 80 run (PAT kick)
S: Dorrien Walker 6 run (PAT kick)
S: Gavin Doss 20 run (PAT kick)
T: Jackson Burel 30 FG
S: Dorrien Walker 25 run (PAT kick)
T: 3-yard pass (two-point conversion)
S: Dorrien Walker 7 run (PAT kick)
T: 13-yard run (kick failed)
S: Dorrien Walker 7 run (PAT kick)
S: Gavin Doss 26 run (kick failed)
S: Keondre Johnson 29 run (PAT kick)
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