KENWOOD, Ohio -- Miles McBride enjoys studying history at Moeller High School. And this Man of Moeller certainly understands the tradition on Montgomery Road.
“I was watching the (football) games when (former quarterback) Gus Ragland was playing and leading them to state,” said McBride, a 2019 basketball and football standout.
“Thomas MacVittie was a big-time mentor. When I put the Moeller name on my chest I am thinking of those guys. When I play basketball, I am thinking of Josh Duncan and Josh Davenport and all those guys.”
Big Moe has watched McBride help the Crusaders (2-1) in a significant way this football season. He has thrown for 718 yards, 11 touchdowns and has a 75.4 completion percentage in three games.
“Each game you see him getting better and better at reads and at different things like that,” Moeller football coach John Rodenberg said. “He’s just been a pleasure to have on the field.”
Moeller plays host to Lafayette (Ky.) Friday night at Lockland. It is the third consecutive week Moeller will play at Kentucky opponent.
Last week, McBride was 14 of 18 passing for 240 yards and four touchdowns and he rushed 11 times for 118 yards in a 38-28 win over Scott County, regarded as one of the top teams in Kentucky.
Rodenberg knows his quarterback has the same even-keel personality each game. Rodenberg said McBride's mentality reminds him of Bryan Cupito, a former McNicholas quarterback who later played at the University of Minnesota.
“He throws an interception -- it’s not a big deal,” Rodenberg said. “He throws a touchdown pass -- it’s not a big deal. He comes off the field with the same emotion.”
McBride is quick to credit his teammates and coaches for his maturation as a quarterback. But he's put in a lot of work, especially with his quicker release time from last season -- an estimated 2.5 seconds average down from nearly three seconds in 2016.
Because he plays basketball, McBride also doesn’t have any bad throwing habits that form in some summer camps, Rodenberg said.
“Everything has really slowed down,” McBride said. “Coach Rody and (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Chris Majors) really helped me out with breaking down film and breaking down coverages. I see what’s going to happen a lot earlier. I feel a lot more comfortable. The guys up front really make it easy.”
Just as important is his demeanor. Whether he’s on the basketball court or the football field, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound McBride is viewed as a natural leader.
“I think it’s a combination of his experience playing basketball and being in big games,” Rodenberg said. “He’s kind of unflappable. He doesn’t get riled up too much. So when he’s on the field you really have a cool customer right there.”
McBride, the son of former Xavier University basketball player and area high school coach Walt McBride, was named to the Associated Press Division I All-Tournament Team in March for the state basketball runner-up Crusaders (28-1).
Moeller guard Miles McBride helped to lead the Crusaders to the Division I state basketball final in Columbus last season. (WCPO file)
The guard will be a key player for the highly rated basketball team this winter. He averaged 10.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals last season.
“He’s humble,” said longtime Moeller basketball coach Carl Kremer, who is the school’s interim principal. “He keeps things in perspective. He’s a role model in our school.”
Walt McBride and his wife, former Ohio State tennis player Kim McBride, have instilled a strong work ethic with core values in academics and athletics for their three children: Northwood University basketball player Trey McBride, a 2016 Moeller graduate, Miles and daughter Kristen, a freshman at Mount Notre Dame.
Miles has been nicknamed “Deuce” since the third grade because of Kim’s late father James Miles.
Even in grade school, “Deuce” was used to playing with the older kids. He played center at one time in grade school so that he learned to take a hit and keep his head up, Walt said.
By the time Miles was a quarterback in the seventh grade at Cardinal Pacelli, he showed flashes of athleticism as a foreshadowing of things to come at Moeller.
“Miles... he really had an aptitude of a junior high or high school level (athlete),” said his former Cardinal Pacelli coach Bill Carroll who was a freshman roommate with Walt at Xavier in the 1980s. “He loved to compete. He never thought he was better than the other kids. He contributed and helped the other kids.”
The family is close even if they have divided college loyalties. Walt and Trey like Alabama football while Kim and Miles prefer Ohio State. The mention of the family debates brings smiles.
“He’s a big Ohio State guy,” Walt said. “He likes UC as well.”
Miles and Trey enjoy playing video games and listening to all varieties of music when time allows and they are both at home in Paddock Hills.
“He’s laid back,” Walt said of his middle son. “He likes being at home so he’s a homebody. He loves to eat.”
Kim can attest to that. Miles eats eggs and bacon on the morning of every football game day. He loves the meatloaf and mashed potatoes Kim cooks for the family too.
“He wouldn’t like me saying this but he used to watch those food channels and keep a list of best wings and best burgers,” Kim said. “He would keep a list of restaurants for neighboring cities so when he plays AAU (basketball) he would know where to go.”
Deciding where to go for college is a significant decision on the horizon. But Miles -- who has several basketball scholarship offers from Mid-American Conference schools and other programs and football interest from UC, Toledo, Central Michigan and Akron as a quarterback -- is waiting for the right fit. He's yet to take many campus visits so he says it's premature to narrow his focus on one sport.
“I could see my future in both (sports) honestly,” McBride said. “I am just trying to wait it out and be patient.”
