USC Running Back King Miller Explains Biggest Evolution Since Last Season

USC's King Miller was thrusted into the lineup last season in win over Michigan in early October after a series of injuries to the running back position. And for the rest of the 2025 campaign, the former walk-on powered the USC run game.

He became one of college football’s most unlikely success stories, rushing for 972 yards on 156 carries (6.2 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns. Even a year later, it still doesn’t feel real for the Calabasas, Calif., native.

USC Trojans Recruiting Waymond Jordan King Miller Fall Camp Offensive Line Lincoln Riley Michigan Injury Update Big Ten — Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans running back King Miller (30) runs for a touchdown in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“It's always a blessing,” Miller said. “It's always gonna feel like a dream being at this university. Going into this next year, I’m just ready to grow. Bigger role and ready to perform.”

Miller is now scholarship player, along with his twin brother, guard Kaylon Miller, who helped pave the way for him the final quarter of the season. And with full season under his belt in the Big Ten, the redshirt sophomore tailback is seeing the game differently heading into the 2026 season.

“The games are slower,” Miller said. “Over this whole entire last year, I just been really developing my IQ of the game."

Miller called himself an undersized running back in the Big Ten last season So, in addition to evolving mentally, Miller has also transformed his body this offseason under the guidance of strength coach Trumain Carroll. Miller is 15 pounds from last season and now weighs 225 pounds to pair with his 6’0” frame.

“The biggest overall goal in this offseason was putting a little more weight on to where I can still move,” Miller said. “Overall, I feel great, still able to move very well, and be able to take a lot of more shots, play a lot of more downs for sure.”

Pairing with Waymond Jordan

Because of the injuries, the Trojans became very thin at running back. They even had to move former defensive back James Johnson to running back just to add some depth.

One of those players that went down was Waymond Jordan, who was the No. 1 JUCO running back in the 2025 class. The Florida native immediately burst onto the scene last season before an ankle injury in that Michigan game ended his season.

Jordan is back and fully healthy and will pair with Miller to form what could be one of college football’s most dynamic one-two punches.

“It's kind of a relief,” Miller said. “You have another one of the best backs in the country. Happy to be able to have a one-two punch or whatever it may be when we go on that field. Even right now when we're going on this field, he's the hype man. He's an energy junkie. When he's out there on that field, it's always beneficial.”

Running Behind an Experienced Offensive Line

Miller and Jordan will have the luxury of running behind an offensive line that returns all five starters from last season. It’s a veteran group with the youngest being redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Justin Tauanuu.

“They've been here since the day I got here, so I've really been developing this connection with all of them throughout this whole entire process,” Miller said. “You have trust in them to do their jobs every single time, and I'm going to make them right every time if that's not the case. We all we bounce off each other, we work together great, and overall, we're just trying to get the job done.”

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