CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Miller football continues to score, even in the offseason. The Buccaneers qualified for the 2026 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 7on7 State Tournament, representing the Coastal Bend alongside Gregory-Portland and Three Rivers. Miller did not qualify last summer, so making it back is a huge boost for the program.
"Really just our change of mindset and really just staying focused on what we need to do," said Miller sophomore quarterback Jayden Herrera. "Making sure that it's a rebirth this year. We're not the old Miller, it's a new Miller."
Herrera has strengthened his chemistry with the receivers since his first season on varsity in the fall.
"Our receiver room is very, very deep and we have a lot of guys that can do everything," Herrera said. "Like our backups can play our starters."
Miller's 7on7 coach Trevor Long, a Buccaneer quarterback alum, knows what it takes to compete in the tournament. While at Miller, his teams advanced three straight seasons (2022, 2023, 2024).
"It's hard as a player to kind of give up the game. Even whenever I'm watching football on TV I'm like man I want to be coaching, I want to be out there and I want to help the guys," Long said. "As being a former player and having the impact and the coaches that I did have, and how much they impacted me not only on the field but off the field, that's what was important to me. I feel like as a former player that I can do that."
7on7 is a great way for teams to connect before the fall season. The Bucs have made a few changes since 2025. Miller hired a new coaching staff led by David McHugh and the Bucs graduated their seniors, but the team still found a way to come together this summer.
"The difference maker has really been our bonding as a team I feel like," said Miller senior wide receiver Izaiah Gidrey. "We've really gotten closer even with the coaching changes and not making it last year, but even through all of that we stayed resilient. We were able to show up this year, and now we'll see what we do."
Miller kicks off Dave Campbell's Texas Football 7on7 State Tournament for Division II on June 25-26 in College Station. Three Rivers will compete the same two days in Division III and Gregory-Portland will play June 26-27 in Division I.
