Dante "Lil Turbo" Miller brings a chip on his shoulder from Ivy League to Gamecocks
Dante Miller almost has to have a chip on his shoulder coming to South Carolina from FCS Columbia.
Miller feels like he has to prove that he can compete at the SEC level. And he certainly thinks he can be one of the Gamecocks’ impact transfers in this class.
“I’m the type of guy that you can put me wherever the needs are, I’m a bigger guy, I’m fast and physical and I play hard,” Miller said, “You know effort has never been an issue for me, I will give you effort no matter who lines up against me.”
In Beamer’s program where the culture reigns supreme, leading by example is something that is a very valuable asset. A lot of times a veteran walk-on player can be a key part of locker room camaraderie and Miller has the opportunity to do so.
Miller comes to South Carolina after a highly successful career in the Ivy League, averaging 5 yards per carry over three years and 26 games played. He ranks top 10 for career rushing yards, yards per carry and yards per game at Columbia.
He even earned his nickname up in New York, ripping an 83-yard kickoff return as a freshman. The coaching staff called him Lil Turbo, and it stuck.
There lies a stereotype that players at Ivy League and FCS schools cannot compete at the next level. Miller’s here to change that notion.
“I believe, you know, it’s a smaller, smaller FCS program,” he said. “But in order to be in that program, you still have to be a great athlete.”
[Preseason Camp Offer: Subscribe to Gamecock Central and get 50% off an annual subscription!]
The jump is a massive one for any player. But the opportunity to play in the SEC is something Miller says he’s not taking for granted.
“Playing at this level teaches me to just appreciate what we have here,” he said. “We have an indoor facility and we didn’t have that where I came from.”
Another adjustment is the weather and without an indoor facility, things can get tough. Miller also mentioned that he and the team would have to shovel snow off the field just to do one-on-ones.
“Most of the days when I was catching the ball from my quarterback I couldn’t feel my pinky,” Miller said, laughing.
The coaching staff and the culture surrounding the program are what sold him to South Carolina.
“When I had the opportunity to come back here and visit, coach Shane Beamer, coach Montario Hardesty and just the level of coaching and respect as a man that we get from them is just different,” he said. “And that’s something I’ve never experienced with a coaching staff.”
The Gamecocks are off on Wednesday and then finish the first week of camp on Saturday with a scrimmage at Williams-Brice Stadium.
