Eastside Catholic just added all-time Washington high school passing great Drew Miller to run its offense

As if talent-loaded Eastside Catholic wasn’t already the most daunting team in the state of Washington to try to slow down, the Crusaders added a little extra juice to their attack this spring.

And it comes in the form of a former high school All-American quarterback.

Drew Miller, who set 11 passing records during his era at Lakes High School (1993-96), was hired as the offensive coordinator under new Eastside Catholic coach Dominic Daste.

And what should that mean for the Metro League powerhouses’s offense? More ingenuity, especially in the passing game.

“My thing is that I want to utilize every guy,” Miller said. “We have multiple players on offense who can be special, and help us a ton. We are going to do what we do - then we will have a few kill shots and wrinkles off that.”

If it is one thing Miller knows, it is offensive football.

As a three-year starter at Lakes, he set the state’s all-time records for pass completions (608), attempts (912), yards (9,003) and touchdowns (101).

In 1997, Miller became the first BYU true freshman to start a game at quarterback.

After he transferred to Montana two years later, Miller became a two-time FCS All-American -- and two-time finalist for the Walter Payton Award. He led the Grizzlies to the national championship game in 2000.

Miller had brief stints in the Canadian Football League and Arena Football League before landing his first college coaching job at Central Washington University in 2004.

But it was at Idaho State in 2007 that Miller, hired as a wide receivers coach under former coach John Zamberlin, shared an office with Rob Christoff, who was the team’s linebackers coach and is now the defensive coordinator at Eastside Catholic.

Christoff called Miller in March for a recommendation on quality offensive coordinator candidates. To the surprise of many, Miller threw his own hat in the ring.

“I’ve been missing it ever since not being in it,” Miller said. “I was getting my fix in helping dad (Lakes coach Dave Miller) as much as I could (until 2015). I just felt this was a good time to get back in it.”

Vital to his return to coaching was health. Miller has long-suffering back and hip pain that eventually led to surgery in 2017.

But then came the biggest hurdle to clear -- breaking the news to his father.

“He called me said said, ‘I’ve got a great opportunity (at Eastside Catholic), what do you think?’” Dave Miller said. “I know he felt like he was betraying me, and I said it wasn’t about that. I encouraged him to do it.”

But the first time Drew Miller showed up at his parents’ house with an Eastside Catholic T-shirt on?

“Dad says, ‘Oh man, that is a sweet Lakes shirt you have on,’” Drew Miller said. “He has given me (grief) over it, but it is all fun and games.”

And now as the Crusaders’ primary signal caller on game nights, Miller, 41, has to figure out ways to keep a bevy of standouts happy - productive returners in Sam Adams and Gio Ursino at running back; Tavarus George and D.J. Rogers at tight end; and Ohio State commit Gee Scott Jr. at wide receiver.

“It is obviously a challenge because there is only one football,” Miller said. “But you deal with it. I am not worried about it at all.

“The way we’ve built this system, it is going to be beneficial to get the ball to everybody.”