Miller among shining stars at midseason

Santee running back says he can get better as others make case for player of the year.

- By Eric SONDHEIMER

DARNELL MILLER of Santee leads the City Section in rushing with 1,159 yards and 13 touchdowns.

(Eric Sondheimer Los Angeles Times)

Every morning, Darnell Miller walks his 10-year-old brother, Fredrick, to elementary school, then walks another 20 minutes to Santee High in downtown Los Angeles. Before football practice, when the bell rings in the afternoon, he sometimes jogs to pick up his brother, then walks him home or takes him to practice.

This is a peek into the life ofthe 17-year-old Miller, a soft-spoken senior who leads the City Section in rushing at midseason with 1,159 yards and 13 touchdowns for 44 Santee.

Asan example of his talent, the 6-foot, 170-pound Miller made such a positive impression ina 43-7 loss to University that the opposing coach, Bryan Robinson, said, “He’s the No. Lrunning back in the City Section.”

Miller rushed for 209 yardsin the defeat. He also plays basketball, runs track and has a 4.6-second 40-yard time.

He used to play youth football at age 6 and was so scared of being tackled that he kept running away from defenders when he had the ball.

He moved from Memphis, Tenn., to Los Angeles at the end of 2018. He didn’t play football his freshman year at Santee. He played point guard on varsity basketball. The football coaches noticed him.