MORGANTOWN - West Virginia defensive end Julian Miller called it "crunch time.''

At the end of WVU's 17-9 home victory over Louisville Saturday, Miller was the captain of crunches.

Louisville, within a touchdown and 2-point conversion of tying the game, had a shot by starting a series at its own 41 with 2:24 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Cardinals converted a first down and had a first-and-10 on the WVU 42. That's when Miller, a 6-foot-4, 251-pound redshirt sophomore, took over the game.

He had two sacks on four downs, knocked down U of L quarterback Will Stein on another and almost batted a pass on fourth down.

"I was pleased with Julian Miller,'' said WVU coach Bill Stewart. "I thought he was really a force, particularly since he was our only healthy lineman.''

Nose guard Chris Neild was knocked out of the game. Tackle Scooter Berry played sparingly coming off injury and suspension.

"Crunch time is go time,'' Miller said. "There are pass rush opportunities on every play. That's what a defensive end is looking for - opportunities. You want to make a play in the backfield or help the DBs make a play downfield.''

On that first-and-10, Miller sacked Stein for a loss of 4 yards.

"We were in our 40 package,'' said the end. "We switched it up from our regular package to our 40 package. Me and Ovid [Goulbourne] did a stunt on our side - and it came off perfectly. I got around and got the first sack.''

On second-and-14, Miller sacked Stein for a loss of 10.

"They were trying to hurry up,'' Miller said. "So I had to get back down and shoot the 'A' gap. Usually, the center helps the guard when I shoot the 'A' gap, but [the center] didn't help out. So I was just one-on-one with the guard.''

MORGANTOWN - West Virginia defensive end Julian Miller called it "crunch time.''

At the end of WVU's 17-9 home victory over Louisville Saturday, Miller was the captain of crunches.

Louisville, within a touchdown and 2-point conversion of tying the game, had a shot by starting a series at its own 41 with 2:24 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Cardinals converted a first down and had a first-and-10 on the WVU 42. That's when Miller, a 6-foot-4, 251-pound redshirt sophomore, took over the game.

He had two sacks on four downs, knocked down U of L quarterback Will Stein on another and almost batted a pass on fourth down.

"I was pleased with Julian Miller,'' said WVU coach Bill Stewart. "I thought he was really a force, particularly since he was our only healthy lineman.''

Nose guard Chris Neild was knocked out of the game. Tackle Scooter Berry played sparingly coming off injury and suspension.

"Crunch time is go time,'' Miller said. "There are pass rush opportunities on every play. That's what a defensive end is looking for - opportunities. You want to make a play in the backfield or help the DBs make a play downfield.''

On that first-and-10, Miller sacked Stein for a loss of 4 yards.

"We were in our 40 package,'' said the end. "We switched it up from our regular package to our 40 package. Me and Ovid [Goulbourne] did a stunt on our side - and it came off perfectly. I got around and got the first sack.''

On second-and-14, Miller sacked Stein for a loss of 10.

"They were trying to hurry up,'' Miller said. "So I had to get back down and shoot the 'A' gap. Usually, the center helps the guard when I shoot the 'A' gap, but [the center] didn't help out. So I was just one-on-one with the guard.''

On third-and-24, Miller didn't record a sack but got another hit on the quarterback. Stein's pass to Doug Beaumont was incomplete.

"Basically, it was the same,'' said the end of the down. "They got in the hurry-up and the center didn't help the guard. I almost got another sack.''

"He made two sacks in a row,'' said Mountaineer QB Jarrett Brown. "On the third one, he just laid down on the ground - exhausted.''

But not finished. On fourth down, Stein threw another incompletion - with Miller showing off his vertical leap nearby.

"We just try to get in [the quarterback's] face,'' Miller said.

The end also had an earlier sack. He now has a team-leading 81/2 and 12 for his career.

"It can only give me more confidence,'' Miller said. "I'm a first-year starter. It makes me feel, looking down the road, that I can be a big-time contributor.''

That would be helpful right down the road, like Friday at Cincinnati. Miller said he's sure to get extra attention.

"I'm pretty sure [I] will,'' he said. "I remember after the first game against Liberty, the [East Carolina] coach was keying on me. I wouldn't expect anything different.''

Miller would really like to make an impact. See, he's from Beechcroft High in Columbus, Ohio. He said he knows at least 10 players on the Cincinnati team.

"They're still the defending Big East champs,'' Miller said. "It's not us, so we want to go in there and have a good game.''

Reach Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827, mitchvin...@wvgazette.com or follow him at http://twitter.com/MitchVingle.