Miles wants to build national champ at Nassau CC

Last season: 8-2 (3-2 Northeast Conference)

Coach: Jermaine Miles (first season)

From player to coach: Miles becomes the first former Nassau player to coach the team. He played on the 1993 and 1994 team and later starred as a defensive end at Georgia Tech and in the Canadian Football League. The 36-year-old former resident of the Bronx is following founder Jim Weinman (151-38), John Anselmo (138-38) and George Powers (46-8). Weinman retired, Anselmo left to become an assistant at Syracuse and Powers is Nassau CC's new head lacrosse coach.

Miles wants to do what his predecessors could not: "I feel we have a chance to win a national championship," he said. Do not expect that to happen this season, but Miles hopes to build toward that goal. The program now has Division I status, which means it can start offering scholarships. "I always said if we had just 10 scholarships it would make a big difference," Miles said. "We do have the capability to give scholarships, at the same time it's a scholarship fund that we have to fund through fund raising. It's nothing that allocated."

Miles said he could not project when the first scholarships will begin, but he's getting players without the benefit of athletic assistance. "We have about a good 35 out of state players right now," he said. "That's because of networking and friends and different people who have experience with Nassau football and how we cultivate athletes. They want to play for a winning program and they trust Nassau."

Watch list: Miles has recruited 285-pound offensive lineman Douglas Almendares from Miami, 270-pound defensive tackle Malik Gumbs and defensive end Greg Neal are from New Jersey and linebacker Jon Shelby is from Massachusetts. Offensive lineman Aslam Sterling, a 340-pounder from Bayside, running back Jerry Edwards from Roosevelt and linebacker Gallo Henson from the Bronx are local recruits.

They will join key returning players in running back Steven Miller, wide receiver Defattel Davis and defensive lineman Stevon Bruten. Miles described Miller as "one of the fastest and most explosive running backs in the history of Nassau football." He rushed for 593 yards and scored six touchdowns last season.

Quotable: Miles on RB Miller, "He's definitely gotten better, he's strengthened his weaknesses."

Key games: Oct 2 Lackawanna, Oct. 23 Dean

Prediction: 8-2. Miles keeps the Nassau juggernaut moving forward.

Schedule

Sept. 3 at Fordham JV 10 a.m.

Sept. 10 at Army prep 5 p.m.

Sept. 18 Navy Prep 2 p.m.

Sept. 25 at Erie noon

Oct. 2 Lackawanna noon

Oct. 9 at Hudson Valley 2 p.m.

Oct. 15 at Globe 8 p.m.

Oct. 23 Dean noon

Oct. 30 Lousiburg noon

Nov. 6 at Alfred noon

Nov. 13 ASA Institute 2 p.m.