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Washington High grad Shareef Miller shines in Penn State's Blue-White game

Backup quarterback Tommy Stevens tossed three touchdown passes as spring practice ended.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Penn State has two starting defensive end slots open for the 2017 football season, and Shareef Miller is setting his sights on the one at the left side of the line.

The 6-foot-5, 261-pound Miller, a redshirt sophomore and graduate of George Washington High School, performed Saturday in the annual Blue-White Game as if he wanted to show the coaches that he indeed should be the starter in the Sept. 2 season opener against Akron.

Miller led both teams with a pair of sacks and a third tackle for loss in the Blue's 26-0 victory over the White before an estimated 71,000 at Beaver Stadium, a game that marked the end of spring practice.

While he thought he may have won the job with his spring performance, Miller knows he has to keep working in preseason camp to hold on to it.

"I'm hungry because I want to be that guy," Miller said. "I've just got to keep working hard, keep believing in God. I know what I can do. I just try to go out each and every day and just try to show my coaches and stuff like that."

Miller appears to have made an impression on defensive coordinator Brent Pry, who calls him "a young guy with so much promise and talent." Pry said Miller is "in the mix" to be a starter and a leader along the defensive line.

"Shareef is a very hard worker," Pry said. "I love his practice approach, and that's why he's getting better. He's a talented guy. I think he's got a chance to be one of the most well-rounded ends in our time here, and we've had some good ones. He's physical. He can run. He's got rush ability. He's playing within the framework more and more each day."

Miller started for the Blue team, which was made up of first- and second-team players, and helped lead a dominant defense. The White team was held to one first down and 13 total yards in the game.

Miller said he was more at ease on defense this spring.

"I think I did way better than last year because I was more comfortable in the system with the defense," he said. "I wanted to work on my pass rushing, trusting my keys, being accountable, not trying to make no mistakes, trying to be perfect with everything I do. I think I did well this spring with that."

On offense, backup quarterback Tommy Stevens played the second half and led the Blue to all three of its touchdowns with passes of 9 yards to Andre Robinson, 31 yards to Brandon Polk, and 15 yards to Juwan Johnson.

"His approach has been awesome," head coach James Franklin said of Stevens, who completed 17 of 24 passes for 216 yards. "He's really attacked things the right way. I'm really proud of him. I'm very, very pleased with him. He's got a chance to have a very, very bright future here."

Trace McSorley played the entire first half, going 13 of 21 for 114 yards, but the Blue team managed just a pair of field goals from Tyler Davis when he was in the game.

Franklin held nine starters, including running back Saquon Barkley and cornerback John Reid, out of the game, but it wasn't known who among them, if any, were injured because Franklin doesn't comment on injuries. He has not verified reports that Reid, of St. Joseph's Prep, suffered a knee injury that could sideline him for the season.

Two recruits commit

A pair of offensive tackles, Nana Asiedu of Stafford, Va., and Antwan Reed of Muskegon, Mich., gave oral commitments to the Penn State coaches prior to the Blue-White Game. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Asiedu was rated a four-star recruit by Scout.com, 247Sports.com, and Rivals.com. The 6-51/2, 326-pound Reed has received a three-star rating from all three services. The Nittany Lions have commitments from 13 players for their class of 2018.

jjuliano@phillynews.com

@joejulesinq