BEST DAYS ARE AHEAD FOR COC'S MILLER PASSION BACK IN HIS SECOND STINT AT FOOTBALL.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Football ended up being the best way for Brian Miller to have fun. Miller thought his days as a football player were finished when he graduated from Valencia High, but he returned to the sport a year later when he realized how much enjoyment he got from playing.

He should be enjoying himself plenty this year as a member of the College of the Canyons football team, which will open its season Saturday at home against Santa Ana. Miller is a starting tight end for the defending Western State Conference champions, and he is attracting attention from Division I colleges as he tries to fill a void left by COC's two all-conference tight ends who moved on to Division I schools this year.

``He's capable of doing it,'' Cougars coach Chuck Lyon said of the 6- foot-5, 225-pound Miller's ability to live up to the standards set by last season's starters, Leon Pinky and Mike Gomez. ``And that's saying a lot. He's got great hands, and obviously he's got good range.''

Miller just wasn't sure he had the passion for the sport until he stopped playing a couple of years ago.

``I didn't know what I wanted to do,'' Miller said. ``You know what it's like when you get out of high school, you get into that party mode. I just wanted to have fun, I didn't think I wanted to play football anymore. But I kept seeing the guys out there playing football and it got me thinking about it. I started to miss it. It was still in my heart.''

Miller, 19, was already taking classes at COC. He eventually decided to visit Lyon, who invited Miller to come out for the team. Even though he made the team last season, Miller's playing time was severely limited by Pinky and Gomez.

``It was hard just being on the bench most of the time since I hadn't had to sit on the bench much before,'' Miller said. ``But I was playing behind two really good players - two Division I guys - so I knew I just had to wait my turn and try to watch and learn what I could from them. This is the payoff. This is the chance for me to show what I can do.''

Being considered a potential standout is something new for the player who Lyon said has ``really matured a lot'' in the past year.

``No one was interested in me out of high school,'' Miller said. ``I definitely wasn't the star of the team or anything. I was kind ofsmall. I was really skinny. I'm still skinny. But I wasn't really that good in high school.''

Football wasn't even his first choice of sports. Miller had played hockey as a kid and said he probably would have kept playing if the school had a team. He tried football as a freshman because he said he was inspired by his older brother, who played the sport.

Now Miller hopes to play as long as possible. He's intent on completing his associate's degree this semester so he'll be ready to transfer in time to be at a four-year school for spring workouts.

``I want to get to that next level,'' Miller said. ``I've got to do it now.''

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COC tight end Brian Miller is having fun again and it might manifest itself at a Division I school next year.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer