Hobart junior Miles White has learned to rein in his emotions, particularly when those can be counterproductive.
In doing so, White is better harnessing his talent to become a more complete player.
“I’m way more mature than I was last year,” White said. “Last year, I was more kid-ish. I was more aggressive. But I’m more mellow now.”
But not too mellow. White, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound hybrid linebacker/safety and running back, still had 19 tackles and a team-high five for loss for the Brickies (3-0, 1-0) before a Northwest Crossroads Conference game against Kankakee Valley on Friday. He also had 27 carries for team highs of 180 yards and four touchdowns.
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Last season, White finished with 69 tackles, including seven for loss, along with an interception and a fumble recovery, and he rushed for 194 yards and three TDs on 15 carries.
“He’s grown a lot,” Hobart coach Eric Schreiber Jr. said. “Maturity-wise, he’s come a long way from his freshman year to his junior year. He has more on his plate now this season, and he’s handling it really well. He’s making a lot of big plays.
“I’m happy with where he is right now, and he has the potential to build on it.”
White has the versatility to play in the box, blitz off the edge and drop into coverage. He also can run the ball with physicality and has the speed to take it the distance.
“It’s really just what kind of load he can carry because obviously he rarely comes off the field,” Schreiber said.
White wouldn’t have it any other way, although he acknowledged he leans toward the defensive side of the ball.
“I like hitting people,” he said. “I like being the person who decides how the game’s going to go.”
White’s overall influence has increased for the Brickies, who are ranked No. 6 in the Class 4A state coaches poll.
“This year, I feel like I got better with my team,” he said. “Last year, I feel like I kept to myself a little bit. But I’m expanding and getting more with the team and making sure everybody’s prepared, making sure the energy’s up, making sure nobody’s down.”
Senior linebacker Vontrell Jones has noticed White’s efforts.
“Miles is a great guy and a key piece of the team,” Jones said. “He’s a big spark plug for the team. He’s always been an energy guy. If a practice feels dead or the guys feel slow, I think I look to Miles to get the vibes flowing and let us all enjoy the game of football.
“And besides that, he’s matured a lot throughout his high school career to be one of the most respectful guys on the field.”
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White hopes the Brickies will be on the field deep into the fall. Last season, they won their first sectional title since 2020, when they reached the 4A state championship game, before losing to South Bend St. Joseph 10-7 in a regional.
“Last year, everybody was young, everybody was having fun,” White said. “This year, everybody’s more put together. We all know what’s going on. We’re prepared for these teams. Everybody feels like we’re together like a family.
“We’re more confident, more prepared. We’re used to the bigger crowds. We’re used to having all the eyes on us. We just know what we really want to do.”
White, who has six brothers and a sister, also plays basketball and volleyball. He has started for much of his two seasons in basketball and averaged 4.3 points and 5.7 rebounds last season.
But White has college aspirations in football. He has a game-day visit to Iowa State scheduled for Sept. 19, and he made a similar trip to Louisville.
“It has to be something he buys into more in the offseason, gets his body right and just makes sure he’s getting squared away academically,” Schreiber said. “The sky’s the limit for him. It’s just going to be up to him.”