If you have 950+ Part 121 SIC hours, Envoy will definitely require that you train as a direct entry captain. Envoy has mandatory upgrade and they literally won't train you as an FO if you're qualified to be captain. Going directly into the left seat of your first jet would be a challenge. I heard Piedmont is allowing pilots to come in as high time FOs to fly for 250 hours before being required to upgrade.

Rumor has it that a former freight pilot turned Envoy DEC was fired for loudly berating a flight attendant in front of passengers. Not saying you would do that, but taking on the responsibility of managing flight attendants and passengers for the first time can also be a huge step. Envoy seems to be hiring every eligible DEC who applies and then weeding them out in training and during the probationary year. 3 out of 18 DECs in my class at Envoy didn't make it through training and were not given the option to try as an FO.

Miami is the senior base for captains; you will most likely be sent to ORD first but should be able to hold Miami after 7-12 months. I have a 4 hour commute as a DEC on reserve; it's not fun. The FO I flew with last said he submitted a form on the computer saying he had 750 hours part 121 SIC and had captain pay on his next check. New hires will have their logbooks reviewed prior to being hired. There are two lines of long call reserve in MIA, ORD, and DFW but they go senior and mean you are assigned open flying before anyone else on reserve is able to bid on flying open the next day.

American hires very few Envoy pilots outside of flow because it hurts their business to take pilots from the regionals that feed them. I keep hearing flow is 6 years at Envoy now but there are so many factors that could change that for a new hire. Reserve schedules are usually 4-5 days on followed by 3 days off. Junior pilots get assigned short call reserve 0400-1800 first with a 2 hour call out, ORD has a little bit longer call out.