For Myles Price, Passion Sealed the Hoosier Deal
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Myles Price resonates passion, for the game of football, for his Indiana opportunity, for an all-things-are-possible future.
The senior receiver stands at a Memorial Stadium Team Room podium, contemplating a final college season like none he’s previously experienced, recognizing what fuels him.
“I’ve played football all my life,” he says. “It’s my way of getting things going for my family. It’s my way to provide. There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. I chose to do this. I told my family, if anything was to happen on the field, it happened with me doing what I love.”
If that sounds extreme, it also sounds real. Excellence demands the passion to go where most won’t.
The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Price is driven to go there. In so many ways, he already has.
Hold that thought.
Price had plenty of transfer options after leaving Texas Tech last December. He twice earned honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades during his four seasons. He also made Academic All-Big 12.
In 42 games and 25 starts, Price totaled 161 catches for 1,751 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also rushed for 207 yards and two TDs, and added 296 punt return yards and 59 kickoff return yards.
As a sophomore against Iowa State, he had nine catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns.
What sold him on Indiana?
A big factor was an offense that, under head coach Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Mike Shanahan, maximizes talent and versatility.
“It’s a true NFL style spread offense,” Price says. “That’s the kind of offense I wanted to be in.
“Since I’ve been in college, I’ve been in the Air Raid offense. I wanted something different. This staff offered that. That’s why I chose to come here.”
Multiple conversations with Cignetti and Shanahan reinforced that decision.
“I got to talk ball with the coaches and understand what they’re trying to accomplish,” Price says. “When we talk and you hear that passion coming out of their mouths, I like to hear and feel that. That sealed the deal.”
Receiver might be IU’s best position. Veterans Donaven McCulley, Andison Coby, E.J. Williams Jr., and Omar Cooper Jr. join with transfers such as Price, Ke’Shawn Williams (Wake Forest), Elijah Sarratt (James Madison), and Miles Cross (Ohio University) to form a formidable group that has combined for 582 catches 7,164 yards, and 40 touchdowns in college.
Playing time almost certainly will be shared. Price is fine with that. He sees it as a big team advantage.
“Everybody wants to play,” Price says. “Everybody wants to make plays. Everyone wants to be the guy who makes that play. That’s a blessing to have.
“When you have to compete and it becomes game time, it’s just second nature. It’s nothing to you. It’s having that competitive edge. That’s a blessing to have in the room. Not everybody in the country has that.”
Price says he can handle outside or slot receiver roles. The first chance will come Aug. 31 at Memorial Stadium against FIU.
“It’s about doing your job. I don’t know what our roles will be yet. It’s about doing it, whatever that is, and executing it. Every play. That’s what it’s about.”
Price has made building chemistry with quarterbacks Kurtis Rourke, Tayven Jackson, and Tyler Cherry a priority. While a starting quarterback won’t be named until fall camp, Rourke has the edge after a standout career at Ohio University along with a solid spring.
“You establish that chemistry early,” Price says. “You get extra work with them. That’s with all the quarterbacks, not just with Kurt. The season is long. Anything can happen. You have to develop chemistry with all the quarterbacks.”
Development for Price started as soon as everyone arrived in January.
“We were all going through plays, going through scripts so we could get a feel for how this thing is going to work,” he says. “Doing things early and keep that chemistry going.”
Chemistry is fine, Price adds, but “When we get on the field, it’s time to strap up. It’s competitive every day. There are no days off.”
Could returning punts and kicks be in Price’s Hoosier future? Nothing is off the table. Last season, he averaged 21.8 yards on nine punt returns. His career punt return average is 15.6 yards.
“I can see me doing both,” he says.
Price, who has never scored a special teams touchdown (he has 12 as a receiver and a runner), says injuries that sidelined him for two games last year kept him from earning All-America punt returner status.
“I need to get some punt return touchdowns. That’s my biggest thing. I’m doing a good job of fielding punts and getting a lot of yards, but I haven’t gotten a touchdown yet. I’m striving to get more touchdowns. I need to stay healthy so I can do that.”
That he’ll try to do it as a Hoosier reflects these transfer portal times. Price mentions how hard it was to leave Texas Tech. Besides playing there for four seasons, he also was a Texas all-state high school player. He’s never been so far from home before.
“We were close,” he says about his Red Raider teammates. “The bond we had was special. It was hard to leave my brothers behind. I’m still shook about it, but I had to make that decision. I had to do it, and it’s working out.”
Shanahan’s influence is a big reason why, Price adds.
“He gave me an opportunity to come here and compete, to win a job and have a huge role in this offense.
“Not just that, but be a leader. I’ve always been a leader wherever I’ve been. I don’t expect that to change. I’m vocal, but more on the side of, do your job right now. I want to start vocalizing more.”