By MIKE BEACOM
of The Gazette
On a cold, mud-soaked Eau Claire football field on a mid-October afternoon in 1955, Norbert Miller felt no pain.
Astonishingly, Miller woke up that Saturday morning lying in a hospital bed. The day before, a doctor had drained blood from a deep thigh bruise the fullback had suffered the week before against Oshkosh.
"Throughout the week, I could not flex my knee at all," said Miller.
John Roberts, who coached Miller in both high school and college, had also been pessimistic about his 185-pound fullback's chances of playing.
"He was so sore before that game, we didn't even think he'd play," said Roberts.
But "Nubbs" Miller approached the game of football with the lunch-bucket-like attitude the sport was known for in that era - with hard-nosed men playing the game both ways without a facemask. And no bruise, no matter how severe, was going to keep Miller out of the biggest game of the year for Central State College (now the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point).
Both universities entered the game undefeated and untied and the bitter weather conditions only added to the drama played out that day. "The field had about four inches of snow and slush and you couldn't see any lines," said Miller.
Miller carried the ball 31 times against the Blugolds, more than any other game that season, and behind his 155 yards and two touchdowns, the Pointers won the game, 13-0. Eau Claire managed just 19 yards all day.
A win over St. Norbert the following game gave Point an 8-0-0 record in 1955, the only undefeated, untied Pointer football season in history.
Averaging seven yards a carry, the senior gained 1,158 yards that season, leading the nation's small colleges. The mark also set a team record that lasted until Jimmy Henderson broke it in 1993.
As impressive as Miller's senior year with CSC was, it's comparable to his senior year in high school at P.J. Jacobs.
In 1949, Miller and his teammates faced a similar obstacle. Trying to go 8-0-0 in Valley Conference play back then meant beating Wausau.
Wausau had only one school in those days and their football program had not experienced a loss in more than 50 games.
"It was just unheard of for Wausau to lose to anybody," said Miller. "They always had a big team. They were always a well-coached team (Win Brockmeyer was often regarded as the top coach in the state). They ruled the conference back then."
The unanimous all-conference selection helped Stevens Point beat the Lumberjacks 13-6 that year.
"Every athlete who competes, would love to go out the way I was fortunate to have left high school and college," said Miller.
Miller earned 12 letters in three years at P.J. Jacobs from 1947-1950. Because of flexible spring schedules for baseball and track, Nubbs lettered in each all three years as well as football and basketball.
During his senior year, football wasn't the only sport tearing up the conference.
The boy's basketball team, led by Dick Cable (who later played for the Badgers) and John Kardach were also undefeated in conference play. The 5' 10" Miller served as the team's defensive specialist and started his third year at forward.
"They didn't grow 'em as tall back then," said Miller of his height.
That team was rated number one in the state most of the season.
In track, the 880-relay team, which Miller practiced with during eighth period, placed in the top four at state that year. Miller also ran the 100- and 200-meter dash for the team and participated in the long jump.
The indoor track team also won conference that year.
"I think P.J. Jacobs in 1949-50 was really blessed with an abundance of really good athletes," said Miller.
Miller's high school running abilities had gained the attention of Marquette football coach Liz Blackbourn (later coach of the Green Bay Packers). Blackbourn recruited Miller to play for his collegiate squad, which in those days played a schedule that included members of the Big-Ten Conference.
A day before leaving for the university, Miller had a change of heart. Instead of playing football for Marquette, he decided to stay in Stevens Point and play for CSC, where he was told he could participate in more than one sport.
"As a four sport guy, I didn't want to go to Marquette and play one sport," said Miller.
Miller ran track for three years at CSC (at one time he held the long jump record) and played for the Pointer basketball team his first two years.
He decided to cut his basketball career short because he felt he was too one-dimensional.
His football career was taking off though, and in his first three seasons, the fullback/outside linebacker was starting to shine in a crowd of fine athletes.
But after just two games of the 1953 season, Miller and teammate Bob Bostad were drafted into the military, just months after the conclusion of the Korean War.
For the next two years, Miller was stationed in Alabama and Georgia, playing ball for his regiment.
In 1954, his team's only loss came to the Combat Training Command unit when they were faced with a future National Football League star named Yale Lary.
Miller also played baseball in the service facing notables like Tito Francona, Ted Abernathy and Wilmer "Vinegar Bend" Mizell.
When the two players returned to CSC in 1955, a special committee decided they would receive one more year of eligibility. And that year, the two, along with guard George Roman, center Dave Hurlbut and quarterback Ken Roloff took the title.
"We counted the days while in the military to when we could get back to what remained of the 1953 team for 1955," said Miller. "Down deep, we felt we could go undefeated."
That accomplishment, along with his 1949 season with P.J. Jacobs, is still discussed often today.
"I see George Roman quite often," said Miller, "and no matter what we start talking about, it always ends with that '55 season."
A few NFL teams considered Miller in the 1956 draft and the Baltimore Colts called him to see if he'd consider a free agent contract.
Despite an offer from Blackbourn to consider playing for Green Bay, Miller left for Baltimore. But he was not given an opportunity there to display his greatest gifts.
"My best asset as a football player is as a ball carrier," said Miller. "I never got to carry the ball one down from scrimmage for Baltimore."
The Colts already had Alan Ameche and added Lenny Moore in the draft. They were in need of defensive backs where Miller was asked to play, despite never having played there in his career.
Miller played in three exhibition games for Baltimore and, unbeknownst to him until recently when he discovered an old program, in his second game he played amidst some of the game's greatest minds ever.
Against the New York Giants, Miller had the chance to watch a rookie quarterback named Johnny Unitas claim the starting spot where he later achieved legendary status.
Sitting alongside Miller on the bench was another, young defensive back named Don Shula.
Across the sidelines, Frank Gifford led the Giants on the field and coaches Tom Landry (defense) and Vince Lombardi (backs) assisted the staff.
After his third game against Pittsburgh, Miller was let go by the Colts, ending his playing career.
In no way is Miller bitter about his NFL opportunity.
"I still have people come up to me today and say, "You made the wrong choice. You should have signed with Green Bay," said Miller. "On one hand, they're right. But I look at the chain of events in one's life and believe things happen for a reason."
Miller taught 36 years at Stevens Point Pacelli and coached several sports during his time there. He also served as an assistant to the Pointer football program for six years.
Miller is very proud of his time as a teacher and coach, as well as being one of only two Pointer football players to have their number retired.
He still holds the Pointers record for most yards gained on the ground in a career with 3,282.
"He was such a powerful runner in football," said one panelist. "He had sheer determination to do what he needed to do. His attitude was particularly outstanding."
Perhaps Roberts summed up best just how tough and determined Miller was by stating simply, "Opponents knew we'd feature Nubbs and he still persevered."