Unknown runner looks to bolster his recognition

By JENNA HALVATGIS
Collegian Staff Writer

AUBURN, Ala. -- Not many people outside college track and field have heard of Coby Miller. The Auburn sprinter hopes to change that this week.

Miller, who has the second fastest time in the world this year in the 100 meters, has a prime opportunity to pick up some name recognition today at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

"I don't know anything about him,'' said Tom Sturber, media information coordinator for USA Track & Field. "But from the very fast times I've heard he's run, he could be a real breath of fresh air for the country this year.''

Miller, a junior who transferred to Auburn from Meridian (Miss.) Community College last season, has managed to toil in obscurity despite winning the NCAA indoor national title in the 200 meters in March.

His coach, Ralph Spry, has preferred to limit Miller to collegiate meets and keep him out of the high-profile events against world-class competition.

"Coby's just a junior, he doesn't need to be exposed to too much too early,'' Spry said. "I'd rather him make the mental adjustments necessary to dominate the college level before he goes after the next level.''

But Miller may have forced his coach to reconsider the plan after his blazing performance at the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Ariz., earlier this month.

Miller won the 100 meters in 10.03 seconds, breaking Olympian Harvey Glance's 22-year-old school record of 10.04 seconds. His time is second in the world this year, behind Frank Fredericks' 9.94 seconds.

Miller won the 200 meters in 20.21 seconds -- fourth fastest in the world this year. In winning the 200, Miller beat a field that included Dennis Mitchell.

"The Penn Relays is a really big deal, with a lot of great athletes there,'' Miller said.

"But my only goal is to always compete to the fullest.''

That's because for a time, Miller couldn't run track at all. His grades weren't good enough to get into any major schools, so he accepted a football scholarship from East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss. The school didn't have a track team, so Miller concentrated on football and baseball. But the football team was terrible and Miller missed track.

"Track was my first love and it took me not being able to run it to realize I needed to straighten up,'' Miller said.

He left East Central after one year and headed to Meridian Community College, which did have a track team. There, Miller excelled on the track and in the classroom. He won the indoor National Junior College Championship in the 55 meters, and took 19 credit hours a semester so he could move on to a bigger school.

"It wasn't until that second year of junior college that Coby drew attention,'' Spry said. "Then everyone on this level knew who he was and tried to get him.''

Spry was one of them. He had just been hired at Auburn, taking over the program after Glance's startling move to Alabama. Spry knew that signing Miller would help ease the transition. Miller was about seven pounds off his ideal weight of 190 pounds when he got to Auburn, and Spry, a former officer in the Army, whipped him into shape.

The two are now taking it one meet at a time at Auburn, with an emphasis on the NCAA Championships in June. But Spry knows he can't hold back Miller forever, so they have targeted the U.S. Track & Field Championships later that month as his coming out party.

"It really doesn't matter to me what meets I run in,'' Miller said. "I'm just happy to be running and getting my education at the same time.''

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