That's not a racial comment, in case you were wondering. William Miller ("Duck") could just as well have been a Matt Jones or Tom Brady. It's just more convenient to compare him to McFadden, since DMac has been in the news so much this year for the Razorbacks. "Duck" Miller won games for us in 1974-75 that were otherwise going down in the "L" column. I'm sure you remember some of those.
We had good talent among our 1975 football squad, especially considering that our school drew from a pretty shallow talent pool. William, like most of our upper classmen with a modicum of athleticism, played most of the game. By "most of the game" I mean he rarely rested during the entire 4 quarters each Friday night. We didn't have a lot of depth - and the "extras" on the sidelines unfortunately played at a simliar level as me. We "sideliners" should have started a bridge club; at least we would have been productive!
I'll leave it up to ya'll to recount the many moments when we said under our breath, "Lord, just give Duck the ball!" When William touched the football, good things usually happened.
William played other sports as well. He was fast; that meant he saw action on the hardwood as well as the track and on the gridiron. We were lucky to have him. But, we were lucky to have others that we had as well. There are too many to mention, but as a team, we fared pretty well. After all, for a team that went 0-9 in 9th grade (wasn't it?), we sure turned things around the next few years.
I always joke about my time on the football team. I was lucky to weigh more than 100 pounds soaking wet (something has gone horribly wrong since then, however). But, from the vantage point of the sidelines, I could catch all of the action. Too, I was able to chit-chat with the cheerleaders - but they typically were dating real football players that actually got dirty during the game. (Trust me - I asked!). In retrospect, the band might have been a better place for me - and I would have gotten far more exercise than I did standing on the sidelines.
Regardless, I wouldn't trade anything for the friendships and experiences that I had during my high school years calling myself a football player. I was able collaborate with a group of guys that displayed real talent, leadership and athleticism long before there were any Darren Mcfaddens hogging up the sports news.
Like I said, William Miller was the first Darren McFadden that I ever knew - and I'd of voted William for the Heisman, if that were only possible.
-Ken
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