Football
- Title:
- Running Backs / Special Teams Coordinator
- Email:
- benjamin.miller@usafa.edu
- Phone:
- 719-333-3837
Ben Miller is in his 14th season as an assistant coach at Air Force. This season marks his ninth as running backs coach and his 13th year coaching the specialists (punters, kickers and snappers). This season is his 10th as the special teams coordinator.
Miller’s first four years saw the development of Travis Dekker as one of the best tight ends in school history and one of the best in the Mountain West Conference. Dekker caught 25 passes for 382 yards and two scores, while averaging 15.3 yards per catch, in 2007. His 25 catches were the most by an Air Force tight end since Trent Van Hulzen in 1989. Dekker would later attend training camp with the Green Bay Packers.
Miller’s work with the kickers has also been impressive, as he helped develop record-setting kicker Jake Koehnke, who hit a school-record 13-13 field goals last season. He also ranks second in career field goal percentage with an .880 mark (22-25). Luke Strebel joined a long list of outstanding kickers at Air Force. Strebel became the Academy’s all-time leading scorer in 2018.
Miller also helped Ryan Harrison kick a school-record 24 field goals in 2008, while becoming a semifinalist for the Lou Groza National Placekicker of the Year award. Will Conant ranked among the conference’s top kickers, hitting 11-of-13 field goals and 32-of-33 extra points for 65 points to lead the Falcons in 2013. In 2014, Conant hit 19-of-21 field goals and 45-of-46 PATs to hit the 100-point mark with 102. He also averaged 43.6 yards per punt. He was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist and earned MW special teams player of the year honors. In 2018, Luke Strebel established himself as one of the top kickers in the Mountain West and the nation. He is the school’s career leader in field goal percentage with a .889 mark, hitting 32 of 36 field goals. He was a perfect 88-of-88 on extra points.
His seven years working with the running backs was highly successful. He oversaw the progress of first-year starter Cody Getz, who rushed for 1,248 yards which is the seventh most in school history. Getz opened the season with a school-record five straight 100-yard games while hitting the 200-yard mark three times to establish a new school record.
Jacobi Owens posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and was among the conference leaders in rushing each year. Owens finished his career ranked fourth in school history with 3,005 yards. Tim McVey established himself as well, becoming the first player in school history to have over 100 yards rushing and receiving in a game at New Mexico.
A 2002 Academy graduate, Miller spent the 2006 season as the offensive graduate assistant at the University of Illinois before returning to the Academy.
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/long snapper. 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 of 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.
