Miki-Han Sets Foundation to Build Upon

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – As a young player making a first start, it's always nice when there is something they can hang their hat on moving forward.

George Miki-Han, the third center to start for Colorado State this year as the offensive line has spent the campaign in a constant state of change, found something for himself against Sacramento State. From the vantage point of his position coach, it was a big hook.

"He did a really nice job preparing all week. He didn't have any missed assignments, that was the biggest thing, and he was physical in protection," CSU offensive line coach Billy Best said. "We challenged him to make his youth and limitations to make them a strength, so really overcompensate for those things. He did a nice job of that. His preparedness was really good all week."

Heading into his second start as the Rams open Mountain West play, he was given an extra cushion with the bye week. It wasn't that he played perfect in all regards, and the extra days of preparation were a boon for not just him, but the quarterback he will most likely have to set protections with against Nevada, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi.

Still, if he was going to have one thing down pat, Best would prefer it be his assignments. And for Miki-Han to have those nailed down, it provided him a boost heading into the next contest. In addition, it affords him the chance to peel off the next layer to progress his development.

"I tried to make sure as a center to make sure I don't mess up on any assignments; that's first and foremost," Miki-Han said. "We've got to get the assignments down before we get technique down. Then after I get the assignments down and I study the plays, then I see how I tweak that a little bit and how I can be more technical against the guy I'm going against. Studying his moves, what he likes to do and studying the defense. It's seeing what I can do technically better, but getting the plays down, that's most important.

"That definitely does boost my confidence, but I'm not overly confident. There's always something to improve on. I may have had a good game, but there are little things I can critique myself on so I can be better for the next game."

Best has been impressed with how Miki-Han has handled it all and what comes after. He did make mistakes, particularly setting a few protections incorrectly. It happens, and Best said he has to realize it will happen and when it does, deal with it.

Best wants him to eliminate any buyer's remorse, which veteran centers have learned to do.

"Having now three weeks, he's not a rookie anymore. He's a physical kid anyway, but playing with continuity around him, the guards next to him and communicating everything and understanding if he's wrong and we're all on the same page, we're going to live with the call," Best said. "That's something he's grown with the last two weeks.

"It's just being confident, not hesitating when he makes a decision. Pull the trigger, don't second guess yourself post snap. I think he did a nice job of that last week, and I'll think he'll continue that moving forward. He was the first guy in to watch film after the game. He's eager to see what he did wrong, what he did right and learn from it. The growth will be huge for him."

Miki-Han took the advice to heart, now he has to implant it mentally. The nerves were there at the start, but he doesn't expect them to return this Friday on the road, because when the game was finished he felt different immediately. Part of it was being a young player thrust into a role of directing teammates with more experience. Confidence in himself was a step, and the bye week gave him more in the ability to work with Fowler-Nicolosi to make sure things are set.

Having an additional teacher in Jacob Gardner helped, too. As the line's anchor the first two games, he's kept an eye on his younger teammate and felt the extra week of preparation, especially with the possibility of a new starting quarterback, helped.

"There were a couple of issues in the beginning, but a lot of it comes down to confidence, going out there and understanding your role and how the rhythm of the offense is supposed to work," Gardner said. "I was able to help George a little bit with that, and I think he's doing a great job."

Fowler-Nicolosi has taken the brunt of the first-team reps this week with an eye on directing the entire offense should he draw his first start. It's made him approach his preparation different, but part of what he'll be called to do is work in tandem on those protections he'll value during the game.

They had worked together before, but the situation has changed from backup plan to game plan.

"It was super helpful. We got the opportunity to build some chemistry and work on our communication," Fowler-Nicolosi said. "Me being young, I had to work on being louder and communicating better with everybody on the offense. It was really helpful and much needed."

The reality is they are just part of the youth movement. They could both be starting, as will true freshman Justus Ross-Simmons. It is expected another true freshman wideout, Louis Brown, will become a starter.

That's life with the Rams right now, and while they're all gaining their own confidence in what they're doing, they are developing it in each other. When it comes to Fowler-Nicolosi behind him, Miki-Han has faith the Rams can be a productive unit.

"As a younger guy, he's a great quarterback. I love Brayden," Miki-Han said. "On the younger side, there are things he can miss, so I try to help him out with that. We communicate with each other. This has helped us all out. I gave us time to really break down what they're going through and what defense they run. I'm confident in Brayden. I've seen the way he's been playing and the way he's been checking stuff. The O-line has his back, and we'll all help each other out."

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