Miles of road traveled

Published 10:02 am Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Not every college football player’s path is a smooth one.

Some find their road rocky, filled with potholes that must be navigated.

Thomas Miles has driven his own course over four seasons at McNeese State and Saturday night will come to the end of his road.

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The senior has gone from being a walk-on wide receiver and member of the scout team to a scholarship starting safety for the Cowboys. 

This is from a guy who had to miss a summer of team training so he could work to pay to stay in college.

“Thomas’ story tells you a lot about him as a person,” said McNeese defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro. “Nothing was given to him. He had to go out and earn everything he’s gotten.”

Saturday night against Lamar Miles’ career will come full circle. He will join 11 other seniors who will be honored before the season finale as their time at McNeese will come to an end.

After a 1-10 season a year ago and being the first class to start after Hurricane Laura and COVID-19, the night will be emotional and special for the kid from Alexandria.

“A lot will be going through my mind for sure,” said Miles. “When I first got here it was tough. I didn’t have any friends, I didn’t know anybody. 

“When I first saw the campus my eyes were big. There were so many people, so many women. It was a lot.”

But a lot has changed for both the Cowboys and Miles, who was rewarded for his hard work in the middle of last season with a scholarship and has started every game since.

“Thomas has come a long, long way from those days on the scout team,” said Pecoraro. “Not only as a player but as a person. He really has taken advantage of his opportunities and the chances he earned.”

As for the moment he got his scholarship, that will be something Miles will always remember. 

“To get one was a dream come true,” Miles said. “The first thing I did was call my mom. I was so excited. I didn’t know that day would ever come.

“When you get a scholarship you feel you have a voice on the team, you feel like the program needs you.”

Miles was forced into the lineup in 2022 when injuries decimated the Cowboy secondary. He finished that year with two interceptions, the same number he has this season.

But those are just numbers, what Miles is most proud of is that he’s helped the program turn things around. After last season’s disaster, McNeese will enter the final game at 6-5 and with a chance to have a winning campaign for the first time since 2019.

“One of my biggest goals is to leave here with something the younger players can learn from and build on,” said Miles.

That he has already done, helping the program go from the days of afternoon games in the heat after the storms destroyed the stadium lights to a new press box almost finished.

As for his thoughts going into the final game, Miles kept it simple.

“It goes by fast,” he said.

It sure has.