Chambana Sun

Ben Miller, senior head coach analyst for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini football team and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, will serve as honorary captain for the team's Military Appreciation Game against Maryland. The game is scheduled to take place on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Central Time and will be broadcast on FS1.

Miller is currently in his fifth season with the Illinois football staff and his second year as senior head coach analyst. He has previously held roles as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach before taking health-related leave during the 2022 season after being diagnosed with colon cancer in February of that year. Miller is a cancer survivor and liver transplant recipient.

During his collegiate career, Miller was an all-conference offensive lineman at Air Force, starting at left tackle in his junior and senior years. After graduation from the Air Force Academy in 2002, he signed with the Cleveland Browns where he played multiple positions including fullback, tight end, and long snapper from 2002 to 2005. In late 2005, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad.

Miller also worked in the ManTech Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio before joining the Air Force Reserve in May 2004. During NFL offseasons, he served as a Public Affairs Officer for recruiting and public relations activities based out of Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

He began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at Illinois under Ron Zook during the 2006 season before returning to coach at Air Force for fifteen seasons between 2002-03 and 2007-2020. Miller rejoined Illinois’ staff when Bret Bielema became head coach in 2021.

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