Michigan State University Athletics
Blake Miller: Football Player and Hall of Famer
10/16/2026 10:21:00 AM | Varsity S Club
Coming into East Lansing in 1912, the rules for football had just changed. The field had reduced in size from 110 yards to the 100 yard field we're used to today. The game also increased the number of downs, from three to four, consistent with what we have still. Once a team had scored, the defenders could decide if they wanted to kick or receive the ball. It didn't make a lot of sense, because why would a team want to kick the ball at the opposing team's offense again? That's what happened with DePauw University when they came to town on October 26th, 1912. They repeatedly choose to kick the ball at the offense and play defense after each touchdown scored. Resulting in Blake Miller scoring four touchdowns and the East Lansing team winning 58-0.
Other game altering rules in other sports included those in basketball. The ability to score was determined if you kept the ball IN the basket. Several devices were made to quickly release the ball once a score had been made. It was soon determined that this simply took too long. So, someone came up with the rim and the net and the rule was changed that a score was determined when the ball went THRU the basket.
Blake Miller was a triple threat - he played football, baseball and basketball at Michigan State from 1912-1915. Known as a sensational open field runner on the football teams, he helped defeat Michigan at football in 1913 and 1915. During his first season of football at Michigan Agricultural College he was best known for scoring the first touchdown against the Wolverines. In 1913, his sophomore season, he led the team to their first undefeated season - with wins over both Michigan and Western Conference champion Wisconsin.
"Sure we played for each other, but more than that we played for the school," Miller said to George Alderton on September 8, 1961. "We thought of nothing else. Publicity and attention on the campus or the street meant little or nothing really. It always seemed to me that the school was --well, just everything."
In 1915, his senior season, he along with teammate Jerry Daprato, were named Michigan State's first ever All-Americans. After the football season, Blake was paid $500 to play in 3 professional football games in Detroit. They weren't the Lions at the time. He played for the Detroit Heralds.
Upon graduation he would play six years of professional ball in Detroit after a stint in the US Army. Before there was the Detroit Lions, Detroit was actually home to four early teams in the National Football League. The Heralds played in 1920, the Tigers played in 1921, although they folded midseason and sent their players to the Buffalo All-Americans. The Panthers competed from 1925 to 1926 and finally the Wolverines played in 1928.
The 1921 Tigers were named after the baseball team in Detroit. After a win and a tie in the first two games, they went on to lose the next five. Members of the team complained about not getting paid and left the team during the season, resulting in them having to fold in mid-November.
Then he went on to serve 2 years in the army. He was a golf pro at the Lansing Country Club for 10 years after being a member and only taking up golf two years prior. Blake worked in the area until his retirement in 1958.
Blake was interviewed by former director of Sports Information at MSU, Fred Stable in the 1970s. An audio recording of their interview can be found here. In the recording he reflects on his time at Michigan State, his arrival from New York and some of the games and training that took place during his time.
Blake Miller was inducted into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.
