The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Next Man Up, Milligan Showing Versatlity on Blazers' Defense
9/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Steve Irvine
uabsports.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- His natural position is cornerback but he's also spent time at safety. Now he's an important part of the UAB defensive rotation at SAM linebacker.
Needless to say, versatility is one reason Rolan Milligan quickly worked his way on the field in his first season at UAB.
"We knew we had a multi-purpose kind of guy," said UAB head coach Bill Clark. "That's the thing I love about him and that's kind of what our SAM is. He's a cover guy, (rush) guy, little bit of it all."
Milligan was actually slated to play cornerback for the Blazers and that's where he lined up during fall camp. That changed quickly when starting SAM linebacker Kalen Jackson was injured during the loss at Mississippi State. The defensive coaches began looked for someone to share that spot with junior Derek Slaughter and the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Milligan was a good option.
"I'm pretty good at adjusting to things," said Milligan, who played a season at Jacksonville (Fla.) University and another at Reedley College in Central California. "At Jacksonville, I played a little bit inside at the nickel, so it's kind of like the SAM I'm playing here now. I don't have a problem, I was just ready to get on the field."
Milligan played well, contributing three tackles, including one for loss, and a quarterback hurry. He seemed particularly comfortable dropping into coverage. Clark was pleased with his play and Milligan has officially found a new home on defense.
While it didn't take him long to find a spot in the rotation at UAB, it did take him some time to reach Birmingham. Milligan, a standout two-way player at Lakes Wales High in Lake City, Florida, had a few Football Championship Subdivision offers out of high school and chose Jacksonville, which was his closest option. Milligan played seven games with two starts, missing the other games because of an injury, as a true freshman. He compiled 18 tackles, one interception, nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
He decided after the season that he wanted a spot at somewhere bigger than Jacksonville, which was a non-scholarship member of the FCS. He considered walking on at a FBS school but opted for the junior college route and somehow found his way to Reedley College, which is outside Fresno.
"It was hard for me to transition," said Milligan. "It helped me learn to be on my own, helped me manage money. My mom was still sending money but I had to learn to stretch that money out or I'd go hungry."
He quickly became comfortable - on and off the field. He had 44 tackles in nine games with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries for a team that won just one game. But he didn't know if a FBS offer would come. He visited Idaho but didn't want to stay that far away from home.
"I was thinking `Where am I going to go now?'" Milligan said, "I prayed on it, talked to my family. They told me just to be patient and I'd get an opportunity. I waited and waited."
He received a call from the UAB coaches exactly seven days before National Signing Day. However, he had problems with his phone and never actually heard the message. One of his coaches at Reedley College located him and said UAB was looking for him. Milligan called the next day, was on a plane headed to an official visit the day after that and committed to the Blazers before he left Birmingham at the end of the weekend.
Now he's trying to make a name for himself at the SAM linebacker spot.
