OM QB commit weighs in on Masoli ruling

The 6' 2", 240-pound quarterback got off to a slow start in the opening game of the season but more than turned it around last Friday against Amory when he amassed 6 TD's. Now he has his eyes focused on two issues. To find out what they are, read below.

"I am just preparing for Friday's game against Tupelo and waiting to see what they are going to do with (Jeremiah ) Masoli," added Maikhail Miller. "They did him wrong."

One might expect Miller to hope that Masoli exhausts all of his eligibility before he gets up to Ole Miss next Fall but that is not the case.

"I would love to be able to learn from Masoli. He has so much experience and always seems to come up with the big play. I could learn a lot from him, and if they do rule against him, I am going to have another great QB to learn from if he stays around which I hope he does. I just want to soak in as much as I can next year."

If Masoli is allowed to play this year, that leaves only two scholarship QB's returning season outside of Miller. His progression will have to be sped up, and he knows that.

"I feel bad that (Raymond) Cotton left to put them in that position, but at the same time, I know it is giving me a great opportunity for me to come in there and play early. Now I have to prepare myself to come in there and learn the playbook earlier so I can be ready. I have to go in there next year like I am going to be the guy because I could be a play or two from being the starter. I am working on a lot of things this year so it will help me for next fall."

Some high quarterbacks graduate a semester early so they can get in a spring training. Miller does not have that option.

"When I found out that Cotton was leaving, that is one of the first things I thought about doing, but we are a 7-period school and I just can't make it happen. I looked into it, but I can't make it work. I hate it because I really would like to get there in the spring to start learning the playbook, but as soon as my season is over, I am going to get their playbook and just learn it as quickly as I can so when I get over there this summer I have that part knocked out. Then I can just get in rhythm with their receivers in the summer and be ready for fall ball."

Mike, as he is called by family and teammates, had already developed a tight bond with two of his future receivers.

"Me, Donte Moncrief, and T.J. Worthy all talk pretty much every day. If not on the phone, by facebook. All three of us have been doing a lot of recruiting too. We are doing a great job, overall. I think this is one of the best classes Ole Miss has ever had. We already have 19 players committed in this class. That's crazy to have that many this early in the year. I am just happy to be a part of it."

Maikhail's squad has 14 new starters and a new coaching staff that has implemented a new offensive and defensive system. Naturally, the club got off to a slow start against Hernando in the opening week of the season.

"We got off on the wrong foot against Hernando. They beat us 27-7. We played Amory last week and got back on track and won 35-14. We play Tupelo Friday and it's going to be a war."

Miller was 7-13 for 168 yards and 1 TD against Hernando and had over 300 yards passing, 93 rushing, and 6 TD's (5 passing/1 rushing) against Amory last week. What was the difference in game two from game one?

"I guess we were not that motivated against Hernando. We just did not play with a lot of fire. Hernando was bigger and better than we were, not excuses, but we did not have the motivation and intensity that you need to play. Against Amory, we played with that fire."

Maikhail took some criticism on the message boards for his performance in game one. He took that to heart.

"I guess just the things that they were saying kind of made me mad and got me motivated. They were saying that I was overrated and that gets to you. It motivated me to play better. I am not going to lie. There is nothing worse than people to think you are overrated. I heard it from a couple of people after the West Point (jamboree) and then I read a lot on the message boards about how Ole Miss should drop my scholarship and look for other QB's. That was only our second loss since my sophomore year. It just showed me how fickle people can be, but it is only going to get worse when I get up to Ole Miss so I have to take it all in stride."

Tomorrow Itawamba steps up two classifications when they face Tupelo which is located just down the road. Maikhail has several friends on their squad and one in particular.

"It is going to be weird seeing Ashton Shumpert on the other side of the field. He's been my tailback but now he is over there. We just have to execute really. They have P.J. Jones, and he is bigger and better than any lineman we will face all year, but we have to get him blocked and put a hat on Ashton. Our receivers have to execute on their routes, and I have to get the ball to them. It's going to be a great test for our ball club, but we gained a lot of confidence last week. I think our new staff is doing a great job of adjusting on the run, and they have tweaked some things in our game plan that I am really excited about. It's going to be a war."

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Yancy Porter is the Mississippi Scout for Scout.com and he can be reached at [e-mail]