When it comes to a football team, the most important player is widely considered to be the quarterback. Breaking in a new “QB1,” as the starter is often referred to, can come with its ups and downs. This season, Rockhurst ran a new starter on the field. By several measures, junior Garret Miller exceeded expectations, leading the Hawklets to a 9-3 record and the district championship game.
Before Miller ever played a snap of high school football, some people around the Hawklets program pegged him as a talent to watch. Nicknamed “The Golden Arm” in some quarters, expectations were high. Nonetheless, he led the Freshman A team his first season, forced to bide his time.
As a sophomore, Miller started on junior varsity and backed up senior varsity starter Charlie Loose. He saw action in just one varsity contest, so he barely got his feet wet on the top level of Missouri high school football.
“You’re going up against guys every single week that are going to play at the next level, and, obviously, you’re not going to see that on a JV football field,” Miller said.
Despite Miller’s inexperience, he stepped up and delivered this season.
“Statistically, that might have been as good a year as any quarterback that has ever been here,” head coach Kelly Donohoe said.
Miller finished the season with 2,221 passing yards and 25 touchdowns, throwing just four interceptions in the process. Those numbers–combined with his 66.8% completion percentage–show great promise for years to come.
“That just doesn’t happen here–especially for a first year starter,” Donohoe said.
Miller says when the Hawklets got things going this season, positive results tended to follow.
“When we [would] get on the same wavelength with our talent and our speed and physicality, nothing [could] really go wrong,” he said.
Despite his impressive stats—gaudy, even, by high school standards—not everything went his way. He struggled against Liberty North and Blue Springs. Both games resulted in losses.
“They [Blue Springs] were really big, fast, and physical, but we executed pretty well on the offensive side of the ball,” Miller said.
The offense put up 29 points in that game, but Miller did throw a pick-six and the Hawklets lost 38-29.
In both instances where Miller struggled in one game, he bounced back the following week. After the Blue Springs loss, he led Rockhurst to an overtime win over St. Thomas Aquinas. After the Liberty North letdown, the Hawklets drilled St. Louis University High (SLUH) 35-14.
In the Aquinas game, in particular, Miller showed how much he had grown over the course of the season. The Saints came into the contest on a 23-game winning streak. In a back-and-forth game, Miller stepped up and delivered timely throws on the drive that would force overtime–even converting a must-have fourth down.
Then, in the extra period, he connected with junior Warren Robertson in the end zone on the game-winning 2-point conversion.
“I just threw it up, and Warren came down with it,” Miller said.
He also had to persevere through injuries to his supporting cast. At one point in the season, the team was down ten starters across both sides of the ball. Two offensive lineman who began the season as starters—juniors Jack Sprague and James O’Farrell—were lost for the season in the first and fourth games, respectively.
“Even though it was a rotating door up front on the offensive line, our kids stepped up and did a great job for him,” Donohoe said.
Miller showcased the ability to spread the ball around to multiple receivers. Three caught five or more touchdowns, and three finished the season with more than 25 receptions. One receiver on both of those lists was junior wide receiver Blake Thomas, whom Miller referred to as his “go-to guy.”
Rockhurst’s season ultimately came to an end against Platte County on Nov. 14, where they put up a fight against the defending Missouri Class 5 champions, but fell 29-22. Miller threw for 212 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions in the contest.
All in all, though, Miller’s 2025 season proved a success.
“I really felt that he was gonna surprise some people and have a strong year,” Donohoe said, “but he even exceeded what I thought going into his very first year as a starter.”
While the pain from the season ending will linger for a while, Miller’s attention now turns to next year. The schedule hasn’t been released yet, but the team does know who some of their opponents will be. One in particular has Miller’s interest already piqued.
“The Shawnee Mission East game,” he said. “That game is going to be packed. It’s going to be really fun.”
One might say Miller’s 2025 season put the entire state on notice for his encore performance next year. He has a simple message for both friends and foes.
“It’s gonna be pretty.”
