Dorian Miller talks about being named team captain

Rutgers announced its team captains this week and among them was fifth-year senior starting left guard Dorian Miller. He is the most veteran player on the offensive line and talked with Scarlet Nation about what it was like to be named one of four team captains for the 2017 season.

“It is really a big honor. Coming into this program as an 18-year old and stepping foot in the Hale Center for the first time for summer workouts, you are just trying to get by,” Miller said. “You are just trying to find your way. If you would have told my 18-year old self that I would have been a captain, I would not believe you. But it was putting my head down over time and being a quiet guy, not ruffling the feathers, just going about my business freshman year. Doing everything I could on scout team to give the players a look. I won scout team player of the week. It was little stuff like that, I wear as a badge of honor. “

Miller also credited some former players with helping to cultivate his leadership ability.

“I looked up to guys like [David] Milewski, Kaleb [Johnson], Julian [Pinnix-Odrick], Darius [Hamilton] and seeing how they prepared and how they went about their business,” Miller said. “I tailored my game after those guys and applied it to myself. Last year, I tried to become a more vocal guy as a returning starter.”

The captain distinction was decided by a team vote and Miller mentioned what went into that.

“I am a guy that is easy to talk to. Sometimes I think my bi-racial background kind of helps. I have my black side of the family I am able to relate to and then I have my white side of the family. I am able to see all sides of the spectrum. That has really helped me in life and in this setting. I can see where all guys come from. And I am more of a put my arm around your shoulder talk to you when you are down kind of guy. I am not a rah rah, Ray Lewis type. I will pull you to the side and have a conversation. In camp, I will go over plays with guys in my room. It does not have to be out in the open. But it is really just an honor to be voted as a captain.”