How Kansas State Wildcats' Oliver Miller Made Effortless Transition To Tight End

It has been quite the eventful first season for Kansas State Wildcats freshman lineman Oliver Miller. 

At first, it looked like he was going to be rushed into a role quicker than expected. Now, he's filling in while learning a new position. 

Regardless, Miller has impressed the coaching staff with his willingness to compete no matter the circumstances. Wildcats coach Collin Klein specifically singled out Miller during his weekly press conference heading into Saturday's game against the Arizona State Sun Devils. 

"It's extremely impressive," Klein said. "Even the last couple of weeks, we've been building it. Like I said, he's handled it so effortlessly."

Here's a look at what has happened since Miller arrived in Manhattan:

A top recruit out of Cherry Creek (Colo.) High School, the Wildcats were expected to bring Miller along slowly. That was expected to change once expected starters George Fitzpatrick and John Pastore were ruled out for the season. Fitzpatrick is sidelined with a medical element that also kept him out last season. Pastore sustained a season-ending leg injury during the preseason. 

At that point, there were talks of Miller having to fill in despite being just a few months from high school. That was strongly a possibility until Miller started to deal with an injury himself. 

After missing the start of the season, Miller returned to the unlikeliest of situations. K-State starting tight end Garrett Oakley was ruled out shortly before the start of last Saturday's game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. 

That prompted the Wildcats coaching staff to give the green light for something it was planning for a few weeks in advance. They made the decision to move Miller to tight end for the KU game despite spending most of his playing career as an offensive lineman. 

So far, the Wildcats staff has been impressed with what Miller has accomplished. It is unknown if the move is permanent but Klein is willing to keep him there until the injury situation gets figured out. 

The Wildcats need all the help they can get to fill in for Oakley while he is sidelined. Klein has already hinted that he will not play this week in another pivotal Big 12 conference game. Sure, the Wildcats have sophomore Linkon Cure but they are also without Oakley and Will Anciaux, who was lost to a season-ending injury a few weeks ago. 

It just makes what Miller is attempting to do even more important.