Miller injury leaves hole at linebacker for Cyclones

AMES - Since sustaining an injury to his right knee in the loss to Oklahoma, senior linebacker Jevohn Miller's responsibilities will shift from the field to the film room.

Coach Paul Rhoads confirmed Monday at his weekly news conference that the Brooklyn native and former BGM standout is awaiting the results of an MRI, but will not play in Saturday's game at Kansas. Sophomore Kane Seeley and freshman Alton Meeks will take reps with the first group this week to try to fill the void left by Miller.

'Either one of those guys has very little game experience,” Rhoads said. 'We all know that MIKE linebacker was a concern going into the season. We had to adjust quickly because we weren't playing successful enough and we put Jevohn in there and now we're back to where we were to start and those guys have to pick it up as fast as they can and play winning football for us.”

Miller started seven games at middle linebacker - every game except the season opener against North Dakota State - but played just six downs against the Sooners before suffering the injury.

Senior defensive end Cory Morrissey, who is roommates with Miller, knows as well as anyone how tough the injury has been to Miller. Morrissey has even helped carry Miller up and down the stairs of their house while he has been getting used to using crutches. The two have talked about what the emotions might be like on game day when Miller won't be able to play.

'I think when he sees us all going out and playing Kansas, it's really going to hit him,” Morrissey said. 'We've talked about it and it's just sad. It's his senior season and really his first year to kind of break out and that's what happened to him and how it ended.”

In Miller's absence, sophomore Luke Knott might be asked to shoulder a bit more of the on-field leadership with the inexperience around him. While Rhoads doesn't think Knott is necessarily ready to be an unquestioned leader, Knott knows everyone will have to adjust to something new.

'(I'll) definitely try to help (Seeley and Meeks) as much as I possibly can and I know Jevohn will do his part in helping those guys out,” Knott said. 'Everybody has to step up. When a guy goes down and your number gets called, you have to be ready for that.”

Although he won't be out on the field, Miller will do what he can with his replacements in the film room. Morrissey said it will be as important as ever this week for the linebackers to get in the football offices and put in as much work as they can.

'For a young team already, a young defensive team, it's just hard to replace that right away and have the next guy step up,” Morrissey said. 'They've got to grow up really fast and learn, that's been the story of our defense all year.”

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