Tale of two Beavers brings new roles

Former Lake Oswego stars Darkins, Miller switching platoons

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Aug 4, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Will Darkins will get to do even more blocking for Oregon State now that he has moved from middle linebacker to fullback,

COURTESY OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

When Oregon State opens training camp on Aug. 10, Gabe Miller and Will Darkins will both begin in earnest to stake their claim for a major role at a new position.

The former Lake Oswego High greats both took their initial snaps on the opposite side of the ball during spring practice. Soon, the heavy lifting begins for both.

“Maybe we’re both getting back to our natural positions,” says Darkins, a sophomore who will move from middle linebacker to fullback.

Maybe.

Miller, who will move from tight end to defensive end, was the state’s Class 4A defensive player of the year as a senior at Lake Oswego in 2005.

“Anybody who saw Gabe play in high school knows he was a pretty amazing defensive player,” Darkins says.

As a junior, Darkins was a fullback who often blocked for Miller, also a star tailback. Darkins then moved to tailback for his final season with the Lakers.

In Lake Oswego’s 3-5 defense, Miller was a standup end who played almost as a linebacker.

“We brought Gabe in pressure a lot,” Laker coach Steve Coury says. “He did a lot of things for us. He ran around and made plays everywhere.

“I thought he’d be a big-time tight end at Oregon State, but it turns out he’s probably better being the hunter than the huntee.”

Miller’s college career got off to a turbulent start when he blew out his Achilles’ tendon during track season the spring of his senior year at Lake Oswego. He re-injured the foot as a true freshman but came on as a redshirt freshman, starting seven games and making eight receptions in 2007.

But he took a step back last year, suffered through a couple of minor injuries and never got into the flow. With tight end Oregon State’s deepest position, Miller played some but didn’t catch a pass all season.

After the season, “I evaluated what I had done at tight end, and I really have not lived up to my expectations,” Miller says. “I got to thinking my athletic skill-set might fit in better at defensive end.”

Physical and fast

In February, Miller approached OSU coach Mike Riley about a potential switch to D-end, where the Beavers would be losing starters Slade Norris and Victor Butler.

“He said he and coach (Mark) Banker had already discussed it, and he thought it was a good idea,” Miller says.

Miller got his feet wet at the new position during the spring.

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