Football is Miree’s passion

Brandon Miree doesn’t mind getting dirty, but just don’t breathe on his food.

The Panthers… Brandon Miree doesn’t mind getting dirty, but just don’t breathe on his food.

The Panthers starting running back admits that he is a clean freak, but with the season he has had so far, Miree hasn’t had to worry about cleaning his uniform. It’s hard to get dirty when the other team can’t tackle you.

So far this season, Miree has rushed for 248 yards and four touchdowns in three games, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, and has caught 11 passes for another 84 yards.

And to think, Miree once thought he wasn’t big enough to play football.

The Pitt News: How did you get into football?

Brandon Miree: Football has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I was watching a professional football game, and they had big shoulder pads on, and I didn’t know that they had big shoulder pads on. I remember being sad because I didn’t have big enough shoulders to play football. As soon as I was able to play – I think I was around eight – I was the center and I wanted to play running back, so I quit. [laughs] When I was nine years old, I started playing again, and I ended up playing lineman. [laughs]

TPN: When did you decide to stick with football?

BM: God put the passion in me from a young age. It’s just something that I love. Other sports were more of hobby that I did for fun and to stay in shape.

TPN: What goes through your mind during the time between leaving the huddle and the snap?

BM: I’m trying to process the play. We make adjustments at the line, so I’ll yell out stuff to [fullback] Lousaka Polite and I’ll mess up his groove. He always likes to tell me after the game to shut up and stuff. [laughs] That’s all right. I’m just trying to think about my reads.

TPN: Is it any different when you know the ball is coming to you?

BM: I think so. I think it’s a sense of responsibility; I’ve got to get out there and do something on the next play. This is a team sport, and I know that we need all 11 players doing what they’re supposed to do for us to be successful. I just have to trust in my teammates, and they need to trust in me.

TPN: Do you have any pregame rituals you go through?

BM: [laughs] I try to stay away from certain things. I find myself trying to eat the same foods or do the same things. I’m not a big routine guy. No, I’m not a ritualistic guy; I’m a routine guy. That’s a good word.

TPN: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you while on the field?

BM: I remember in high school, we were playing our rival and we were down and we got a quick turnover. I got a pitch and ran the ball in the end zone and I’m hyped. I keep running, I run through the end zone. I keep running onto the track with my cleats on, and it’s slippery. I run out there, news cameras right on me, and I slip. I got up so fast, and I knew they were going to play it on the news later, but they ended up cutting it out. [laughs]

TPN: What’s your favorite sport other than football?

BM: I like basketball. As far as watching something, I watch basketball during the playoffs, because during the regular season, they play no defense. [laughs] It’s no use watching. I like playing golf.

TPN: How much different has it been now that you have graduated and are in grad school?

BM: I’m not around campus as much. Usually, you see people outside the [William Pitt Union]. I’m not even over there half the time; I’m going to school twice a week. I feel so far away, like out of touch.

TPN: What do you like to do in your spare time?

BM: Let’s see – I go to church. You know, Bible study. I watch movies – I’m a big movie guy, I love movies. Surf the Internet, I guess. [laughs]

TPN: If we were to look in you refrigerator what would we find?

BM: You’d see a lot of Gatorades, probably two-week old milk. [laughs] Tortilla rolls – that’s probably old also – eggs and some juice.

TPN: If you could date any celebrity, who would it be?

BM: I couldn’t say. I have a girlfriend – she’s my celebrity.

TPN: What’s something that people would be surprised to know about you?

BM: I guess, [for] people outside of football – I’m sort of a clean freak. I won’t eat with my hands if I haven’t washed them thoroughly before. I don’t like people touching my food or breathing on my food. [laughs] I’m not necessarily a neat freak, but a clean freak. I like sanitary things.

TPN: We like things dirty.