Jonathan Kieser "Poss" Miller (December 26, 1899 – August 22, 1971) was an American football player and coach. He played college football at the University of Pennsylvania as a quarterback, captaining the 1922 Penn Quakers football team. Miller served as the head football coach at Franklin & Marshall College from 1928 to 1930, compiling a record of 15–11–1.
 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 26, 1899 Pottsville, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 22, 1971 (aged 71) Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1920–1922 | Penn |
| Basketball | |
| 1920–1923 | Penn |
| Baseball | |
| 1923 | Penn |
| Position(s) | Quarterback (football) Guard (basketball) Outfielder (baseball) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1923–1927 | Penn (assistant) |
| 1928–1930 | Franklin & Marshall |
| 1931–1937 | Penn (backfield) |
| Basketball | |
| 1923–1928 | Penn (assistant) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 15–11–1 |
Early life and playing career
editMiller was born on December 26, 1899, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, to Jonathan P. and Carrie E. (Krieser) Miller. He attended Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, where he participated in football, basketball, and track.[1]
Miller played college football as a quarterback at the University of Pennsylvania from 1920 to 1922 under coach John Heisman. He was the captain of the 1922 Penn Quakers football team.[2][3] At Penn, Miller also played basketball as a guard and baseball as an outfielder.[4]
Miller also played the last five games of the 1923 football season for the Frankford Yellow Jackets alongside his brother, Heinie.[5]
Coaching career
editAfter graduating from Penn in 1923, Miller joined football coaching staff of his alma mater. He also practiced as a dentist, with offices in West Philadelphia.[4] Miller served as the head football coach at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for three seasons, from 1928 to 1930, compiling a record of 15–11–1.
Death
editMiller died at the age of 71, on August 22, 1971, at Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. He was buried at Arlington Cemetery in Drexel Hill.[6]
Head coaching record
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin & Marshall (Independent) (1928–1930) | |||||||||
| 1928 | Franklin & Marshall | 4–5 | |||||||
| 1929 | Franklin & Marshall | 6–3 | |||||||
| 1930 | Franklin & Marshall | 5–3–1 | |||||||
| Franklin & Marshall: | 15–11–1 | ||||||||
| Total: | 15–11–1 | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ Who's Who in American Sports. Washington, D.C.: National Biographical Society, Inc. 1928. p. 565. Retrieved January 30, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Record Throng at Opening of New Stadium. Vol. 21. The Pennsylvania Gazette. October 6, 1922. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
- ^ Intercollegiate Football A Complete Pictorial and Statistical Review from 1869 to 1934, edited by Christy Walsh, Doubleday, Doran and Company, NY, 1934, pages 68 ff and 103 ff
- ^ a b "Dr. Jonathan (Poss) Miller New F. & M. Football Coach". News Journal. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. February 17, 1928. pp. 1, 20. Retrieved January 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com
.
- ^ Frankford Yellow Jackets, A Documentary Scrapbook by Howard Lee Barnes, Frankford Historical Society, Philadelphia PA, 1985, p. 36
- ^ "Miller, Ex-Penn Star, Dies". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. August 24, 1971. p. 29. Retrieved December 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Franklin & Marshall Football Coaching Records". Athletic & Recreation Department Franklin & Marshall College. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
