Ben Miller is in his second season as Illinois' senior head coach analyst in 2025 and his fifth season on the Fighting Illini staff. 

Miller transitioned to Illinois' head coach analyst in 2023 and was elevated to senior head coach analyst in 2024 after previously serving as the Fighting Illini's special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. Miller coached the Illini's special teams and tight ends in 2021, before going on health-related leave during the 2022 season due to being diagnosed with colon cancer in February 2022. While continuing his medical plan and treatments, he has worked with the Illinois staff and athletes as much as possible through the 2022-24 seasons.

As senior head coach analyst in 2024, Miller and the Fighting Illini tied the program record for wins with 10, were ranked by the CFP selection committee for a program-record four straight weeks, appeared in 12 AP Top 25 polls, and tied the program record for ranked wins with four. The Fighting Illini capped one of the best seasons in program history by beating #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, 21-17, in one of the top bowl game victories in Illinois history. Illinois finished with a final ranking of #16 in the AP Top 25.

Miller coached one of the top special teams units in the nation and one of the best tight end duos in the Big Ten in 2021, helping Illinois to a 5-7 record and ranked wins over #7 Penn State and #20 Minnesota. Illinois’ veteran special teams unit, led by All-Big Ten performers K James McCourt and P Blake Hayes, helped the Illini finish #1 in the nation in special teams, according to ESPN’s SP+ rating. McCourt tied a program record with four 50+-yard field goals, and two-time Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week Hayes left Champaign with nearly every punting record in Illini history, including landing half of his punts inside the 20 for an Illini-record 34 punts inside the 20.

Illinois’ tight end duo of Luke Ford and Daniel Barker was a highlight of the Illini offense in 2021. The combo helped Illinois produce the 14th 1,000-yard rusher in program history in Chase Brown, and Barker was second on the team with five touchdowns and broke Illinois’ career receiving touchdowns record by a tight end with 11.

A 2002 Air Force Academy graduate, Miller spent the 2006 season as the offensive graduate assistant at Illinois under Ron Zook before returning to the Academy. He spent his first five seasons at Air Force coaching the tight ends, then nine seasons as the running backs coach. Miller also had 13 years coaching the Air Force specialists, including the previous 12 as the special teams coordinator before arriving for his second stint in Champaign.

His nine years working with Falcon running backs was highly successful. He oversaw the progress of first-year starter Cody Getz, who rushed for 1,248 yards in 2012. Miller also coached Jacobi Owens, who posted back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2014 and 2015, while topping 3,000 yards in his career.

Miller was an all-conference offensive lineman for the Falcons, starting at left tackle as a junior and senior. After completing his collegiate career, Miller signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns, where he was used as a fullback, tight end, and long snapper from 2002-05. In the fall of 2005, he joined the practice squad for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Miller served as a graduate assistant coach at the Academy from 2002-03. He also spent one year in the ManTech Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, before transitioning to the Air Force Reserve in May 2004. During the NFL offseason, he worked as a public affairs officer doing recruiting and public relations activities for the Air Force.

Miller is married to the former Meghan Carney. The couple has two daughters, Quinn and Keeley, and a son, Lochlan.

Coaching Career