‘They’re still here’: Lanphier football stays on track with new interim head coach

The Lanphier football team is forging ahead under interim head coach Brandon Miller.

Miller took the reins after Ademola Adeniji resigned as head coach on Tuesday. There wasn’t any sense of panic or disarray the next day at practice.

“It’s been some mixed emotions,” Miller said, “but I haven’t had any guys who haven’t been coming because of the situation. We’re just trying to move forward and just trying to do the best that we can.”

Miller is no stranger to the Central State Eight Conference.

The Chicago native previously played as a defensive lineman at Millikin University before graduating there in 2013. He later assisted Southeast as a defensive line coach until pivoting to Ademola’s staff this season.

“We all have faith in each other,” senior quarterback Joseph Gentry said. “We all trust that it was still going to work no matter what because we knew once coach Ademola left that Mr. Miller was going to step up and help us.

"We’ve still been on the right track with Mr. Miller as the coach and we’ve still been doing the right things and not let anything distract us.”

Gentry said Miller will joke with you until it’s time to get serious. Senior receiver A'jeont Lee agreed.

“It’s been the same,” Lee said. “These kids have been taking their time out of the day waking up early at 5:30 (a.m.) to get to practice at 6. They’ve really dedicated their time to it, so it’s been the same. They’re still here.”

The Lions open the season at Lincoln on Friday, August 30.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: ‘They’re still here’: Lanphier football stays on track with new interim head coach