Miles O’Neill’s Marblehead football career is over, but his journey with the game he loves is just beginning.
On top of transferring to the Hun School of Princeton for his senior year, the gunslinger announced his commitment to Texas A&M this summer.
“I’m really excited about it,” said O’Neill, who completed 152 of 210 passes for 2,181 yards and 23 touchdowns his junior season. “I thought it was an amazing opportunity and I didn’t think I could turn it down… I’m looking forward to working with the coaches. I love the area and the football they play.”
The last few months, O’Neill was the talk of the region alongside Marblehead teammate Connor Cronin, who committed to play football at Brown in the spring.
Division 1 offers poured in like Friday-night fans at Piper Field.
“I enjoyed the process. I was taking it one day at a time and taking it all in,” O’Neill said. “It was a crazy couple of months because it felt like every day I was throwing for college coaches. Whether it was here or in New Jersey, it was a pretty hectic couple of months.”
Hectic indeed, as O’Neill also received offers from Penn State, Pittsburgh, and Boston College.
But in the end, the Aggies were the team to get better. From the players to the Bright Football Complex that sits by the south endzone, it was love at first sight.
“I chose A&M because I loved the players there. I felt like on my official visit, I really connected with them,” O’Neill said. “The football is obviously nice but they also have strong academics. I feel like they’re doing something special there and I wanted to be a part of it.”
Yes, the quarterback will suit up for an organization with three national titles and 18 conference championships, but visiting powerhouse stadiums isn’t too bad, either.
“I can’t wait to visit these stadiums. It’s a dream come true,” said O’Neill, whose future school travels to face Miami, LSU, and Tennessee this fall. “It has been my dream since I was five years old. It’s unbelievable to think about.”
O’Neill said he knows the work isn’t done yet, and is looking forward to earning a starting spot once he arrives on campus.
“I know I’m going to have to work my butt off there. The coaches think really highly of me and they want me to come down to compete for that spot,” O’Neill said. “I’m going to be working as hard as I possibly can and win that spot as soon as possible.”
To assist with the college transition, O’Neill hopes his time with the Hun School of Princeton helps his growth.
“I decided to go to help my overall development as a quarterback,” O’Neill said. “They have some amazing coaches and I have been down there quite a bit and learned a lot about the mental and physical parts of the game.”
Texas A&M plays a pro-style offense – one resembling the NFL with a similar number of running and passing plays – and O’Neill said transferring will help him get adjusted to said system.
When asked to describe his game, without hesitation, O’Neill jumped to “Josh Allen.”
“The best way I can describe my game is to compare it to Josh Allen’s,” O’Neill said of the dynamic Buffalo Bills quarterback. “His strength is definitely (in) his arm but he can move around as well. I like to say I do the same and try to model my game after his.”
Well, the Aggies finished 5-7 last season and just 2-6 in the SEC. Come O’Neill’s arrival, the Lone Star State will look for a few more touchdowns through the air.