When most of Providence’s football players got a week off before the start of fall practices, you could still find Koda Miller on the field inside the Celtics’ stadium.
But Miller, a senior offensive lineman, was not blocking pass rushers. He was playing the French horn as a member of the school’s marching band.
“We all get one week off during the IHSA dead period,” Providence coach Tyler Plantz said. “That whole week, the band’s on the field from I think like 6 or 7 in the morning until 8 or 9 at night.
“Koda’s putting in 14 hours a day doing that while our playbook is challenging and we’re getting into everything else with football and school starting. It’s pretty impressive that he’s able to handle it all.”
For Miller, it’s an opportunity to express different parts of his personality.
“I think there’s more than just football,” he said. “It’s getting life experience and being open-minded. The band is another sort of brotherhood just like the football team.
“It’s fun to do something more than just football.”
Of course, Miller also excels with a helmet and pads on.
He’s ready to begin his third varsity season on the offensive line for the Celtics, who are No. 4 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings.
Plantz calls Miller “the ultimate teammate.”
“That means a lot for him to say that,” Miller said. “We have a big thing called the Celtic standard, which is essentially doing the right thing and being a man on and off the field. I want to show that by example, showing the kids that it’s more than just football.
“I just want to be a role model and show people the right way.”
Plantz is thankful to have a player who is willing to speak up and get his teammates on the same page.
“He’ll do anything that needs to get done,” Plantz said. “He’ll do things that are uncomfortable in the sense of nobody likes yelling at your peers, but Koda knows how to talk to teammates and he knows how to put his foot down and be like, ‘That’s not how we do things. This is how we roll.’
“Having a kid like that to lead your team is invaluable.”
Miller, who is also on Providence’s wrestling team, started playing the French horn as a freshman but has been into music most of his life. The flute was his previous instrument of choice.
When home football games go to halftime and his teammates head to the locker room, Miller grabs his French horn and plays the halftime show.
“I used to sometimes be a little embarrassed by it, but it’s a part of me now,” Miller said.
Miller is one of a handful of seniors for the Celtics who played big roles as sophomores on the 2022 team that made it to the Class 4A state championship game, a 44-20 loss to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin.
Last season, Providence went 8-4 and dropped a Class 5A semifinal 31-21 to rival Joliet Catholic.
Providence’s Jay Jeziorski (48) sacks Wheaton St. Francis quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (11) during a Class 4A state semifinal game in Wheaton on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. (Jon Langham / Daily Southtown)
Senior linebacker Jay Jeziorski said his team is hungry to go all the way this time around.
“There’s a sense of urgency to win,” Jeziorski said. “When you have five or six returning three-year starters, we’ve all got plenty of experience and the nerves are less in those high-stakes games. Now it’s just about winning.”
Senior receiver/defensive back Jayden Mikulski believes the Celtics have the perfect player to bring it all together in Miller.
“I love Koda,” Mikulski said. “He’s a great guy. He always keeps our team up. If there are ever any problems going on, Koda’s always the first guy to step in.
“He’s a great leader and he sets a great example at ‘Provi,’ for sure.”
Team: Providence.
2023 record: 8-4.
Offensive leaders: Seth Cheney, senior, receiver; Xavier Coleman, junior, receiver; Koda Miller, senior, lineman; Leo Slepski, junior, quarterback.
Defensive leaders: Tyler Cucio, senior, lineman; Gavin Hagan, senior, defensive back; Jay Jeziorski, senior, linebacker; Luke Leverett, senior, defensive back.
X-Factor: Jayden Mikulski, senior, receiver/defensive back.
