EDITORIAL
No one expected what a gift the community of Rockdale would be getting when Coach Jeff Miller moved to town to take over a 3-7 Tiger team.
Coach Miller, and his entire family, Angel, Gunner and Payton, have not only given Rockdale a state championship but also inspiration and hope.
Last Friday, Miller gave Rockdalians another reason to smile when he reached a coaching milestone of 100 victories. Those games make him the winningest coach in RHS history and it couldn’t have happened to nicer guy.
The scrappy young Coach Miller came to town in 2006 from Jacksboro with a 31-15 record. His son, Gunner was six years old and Payton was four. His first two seasons in the Rock were rough. His teams sported 2-8 and 4-7 records respectively, however, the next 12 seasons were all winners.
He weathered those two tough seasons like he has weathered all the challenges and celebrations in his life with humor and humility.
The entire community watched, prayed and collected donations for the Millers as Gunner, who played quarterback, endured countless trips to the hospitals, oncologists and surgeons, after he was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2015.
The year 2017 will go down in the annals of Rockdale history as a rollercoaster ride fueled with the town’s sorrow and oy. It was a year of more industry ob loss and the football team felt the weight of the town’s hope on their shoulders. And with the unexpected death of a Tiger player’s father, Coach Miller and his team pressed on.
They ended a gloomy 2017 with a made-for-TV victory over Brock at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, when Gunner, who was in remission, came onto the field and Ëtoon a nnee as Uocndale ran out the clock.
These are the inspirational memories that come to mind whenever people of Rockdale think of Coach Miller, and now we have another poignant memento to add to our collection. –C.G.
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