Kansas State University Athletics
The Grind Never Stops for Miller
Dec 10, 2025 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
It's been a little more than 48 hours since Oliver Miller played his final snap, hugged his sweaty teammates, his brothers for many years, and helped hoist the Class 5A State Championship Trophy after top-seeded Cherry Creek High School blasted No. 2 Ralston Valley 56-28 — its sixth state title in the last seven years — at Canvas Stadium on the campus of Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Cherry Creek, nestled in Greenwood Village, a suburb in the Denver metropolitan area, is known as a top-rated public school with an enrollment of 3,829 students. The Landmark movie theater might be buzzing other evenings of the week in Greenwood Village, but on Fridays in the fall, Cherry Creek football is the only show in town — winners of 15 state championships. With 6-foot-6, 295-pound right offensive tackle Oliver Miller helping lead a storied and stellar offensive line, Cherry Creek went 12-2, 13-1, 13-1 and 14-0 with three state titles over his career.
Now, standing on the field at Canvas Stadium, Miller, the 41st-best offensive tackle in the nation, and sixth-best overall prospect in the state of Colorado in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, officially removed his helmet for the final time in his high school career.
"Pretty surreal," Miller says on Monday night. "My brain wasn't comprehending this was my last game with these boys. This was our first year going undefeated. It was a surreal moment. I love our group of boys so much. It was the best possible way for me to get set up for Kansas State.
"I know how to win. Cherry Creek has helped me so much as I go to the next level."
Miller committed to K-State on May 19, 2025, and he took his official visit to K-State on June 5. But last Wednesday is the date Miller will always remember, as he wore his purple K-State hoodie, and sat with fellow Cherry Creek teammate and K-State signee Maxell Lovett (the 49th-best wide receiver nationally in the Class of 2026 by Rivals), at a long table inside Cherry Creek on signing day.
Then things got a little crazy.
"We were at signing day when the news broke," Miller says. "I was sitting at the signing table and saw a Twitter post about it. Earlier in the morning, I was on a Zoom call with Coach Chris Klieman and super excited. Then I saw rumors Coach Klieman retired, and we were going to get Collin Klein. I looked over at my parents and they were looking at their phones doing the exact same thing. Then my mom showed me the Collin Klein photo.
"We know who Collin Klein is (a native of Loveland, Colorado), and about his success at Texas A&M (as second-year offensive coordinator) and how much of a legend he is at Kansas State (2012 Heisman Trophy finalist). I was a little iffy when Coach Klieman retired, but I was right back into it when I saw Coach Klein was rumored to be the next head coach."
Last Friday, the day that Klein flew into Manhattan for his introductory news conference, Miller received a FaceTime from Klein, which Miller describes as "super exciting."
"I can't wait for what he does," Miller says. "Coach Klein is the embodiment of Kansas State. I trust him with any staff changes. He just wants the absolute best for the program. He knows SEC football. He knows a lot of ball. For him to be so excited and jump on a plane and be our head coach says a lot, especially with the winning seasons at A&M. I put my whole trust in him, and I'm excited to see what he can do.
"We talked about my future, and how I can't wait to see the player he makes me."
Then Miller received a text message.
It was Klein. Again.
"Coach Klein reached out the day before my state championship game, just saying how excited he was to be at K-State," Miller says. "He actually reached out to all the recruits, and they all sent me a text. We were just ecstatic to talk to him. He's super excited for what this 2026 recruiting class to bring.
"We all trust Coach Klein."
Miller's story with K-State began on the Cherry Creek practice field his sophomore season. Then-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Conor Riley watched the Cherry Creek quarterback throw and watched a couple wide receivers catch footballs. As Miller watched his teammates on the practice field, Riley sauntered over and told Miller about K-State. That began a relationship that only grew and took a step when Klieman and Riley visited Cherry Creek one year later and offered Miller a scholarship to play football at K-State.
"My first Power 4 offer," Miller recalls. "You could tell how much they believed in me from the jump. Then two weeks later, Coach Riley went to the Dallas Cowboys, so I was a little bit worried about my offer, but (assistant offensive line coach) Drew Liddle reached out. I was ready to go to Manhattan."
Miller visited K-State offensive line coach Brian Lepak this past spring.
"The first time that I met Brian Lepak in real life, we sat down after spring practice this past spring in his office with my parents," Miller says. "Watching him coach and on the sideline on gamedays, and in the spring practices, how he is in practice is coaching with high love. That's the type of coach I want to be coached by. The relationship we have in calling every week, he's the type of guy that is all about football. I love to learn from experts and that guy is definitely an expert."
The expert was blown away on May 19, 2025.
"It was Monday morning, the week before finals, and Coach Lepak and I had a home visit scheduled," Miller says. "I was excited. Three days prior, I was thinking about the fact that I hated taking calls every night, and knew I'd found home. My top three schools were Purdue, Minnesota and Kansas State. In the back of my mind, I was like, 'I know where home is.' The night before the home visit, I was golfing with my buddies, and I was on the ninth hole and said, 'I already know where home is. I'm going to commit to K-State tomorrow.' I told my parents, and they were ecstatic.
"Coach Lepak wasn't expecting it. He came to my house, and we had a great time and at the very end, Coach Lepak was going to leave and visit other schools. I said, 'Coach, I love everything you're doing. I'm completely bought in. I'm committing to Kansas State.' He put his hands on the table and put his head back and mouth open. He was shocked. It was the best moment. We went outside and took a picture. I'll never forget his excitement. He was so excited for this 2026 offensive line group and how special it will be. I've met a lot of these boys and talk with Keagan Collins a lot. This is a special group. I went to school an hour later, took my final, and posted about my commitment. I'd never experienced a high like that."
Oh, Miller had witnessed the rewards for hard work throughout his high school career at Cherry Creek. Under the guidance of offensive line coach Det Bittie, offensive linemen went places after high school. Miller saw former teammate George Fitzpatrick go to Ohio State before transferring to K-State. Other former offensive linemen went to Colorado, Iowa State and Purdue, while a few went to Group of 5 schools, and a few went to the FCS.
"My sophomore year, my first-ever start was in the semifinals, and after that game, I knew I was going to have a chance to start my junior year," Miller says. "That offseason was still a grind. My coach, Coach Det Betti, is the best high school offensive line coach in the country. He looked at me during a training day, he said something about me getting a scholarship. I told him, 'I'm going to play my hardest for you.' Going to Creek, you always expect being a starter and being a dude for them, which will lead to an offer. I was humbled in the sense that if it happened, it happened, but the real turnaround was when I was playing my best football and was putting trust in my coaches and putting my film out. I trusted my coaches."
And Miller, who is described as an athletic, versatile lineman with good pass-blocking and run-blocking skills, had accumulated plenty of film through the years while experiencing some growing moments along the way.
"Last year, my junior year, my first year as a full-time starter, I went through the motions a little bit," Miller says. "I made my highlight tape and thought, 'I'm not happy with this.' Offseason leading to my senior year, we have great trainers, so the offseason was full head-down grind. My ability to just get on a football field, I always like to say before every game, I love to find something this year that I hate about a team, and that gives me the power and aggression I have throughout the game.
"What sets me apart and will help me play at the Power 4 level is my passion for the game and the way I play and express myself on the field and the way I'm clear minded. Whenever I play, I critique myself on the sideline and watch tape on the sideline. On the field, I play with passion and aggression, and finish plays. That's what sets me apart the most."
Off the field, Miller describes himself as "energetic" and "passionate."
"I'm talking 24-7," he says. "I love to learn. I have a passion for football and academics. I'm a family-oriented man who likes to put his head down and work."
For now, the grind continues for Miller, who this week begins his individual regimen of offseason workouts prior to heading to Manhattan on January 19 as a mid-year enrollee.
"My first offseason training session is today, and I'm so ready to get prepared and get out there," he says. "I'm excited to show off my passion and energy to the rest of the team and be a dude for them. I love to be coachable. I'm not coached to slack off. That's not how my mind is wired, taking days or hours off. I don't stand still — it makes me itchy. What I dream of at night is going to K-State and being a dude for them and at practice being a guy who changes the mood on the field."
As for Miller's goals while at K-State?
"The league is the dream," he says. "The proof is in the pudding when you see all the player from K-State that are in the league. My aspiration is to be the best player and best person I can be. I love the life beyond football and the type of person you are. I just want to be that type of person and become a better person at Kansas State."
In a way, it all goes back to a Zoom call with longtime K-State director of recruiting Taylor Braet soon after news broke of Klieman's retirement and the rumors of Klein's return to K-State.
"Taylor said, 'You guys stay for four years, you guys are going to experience a coaching change.' I was like, 'Yeah, for sure,'" Miller says. "College football is crazy. Taylor said, 'I'm kind of happy now, you guys are signed and committed.' And we stayed committed 100%."
"I'd love K-State no matter who's there," Miller says on Monday night. "College football has become super crazy now with money and everything. I miss the days of college football where you bled the colors of the team you played for, and no matter the change, no matter the circumstance, win or lose, you bled for that team."
He pauses.
"My team is Kansas State."
It's been a little more than 48 hours since Oliver Miller played his final snap, hugged his sweaty teammates, his brothers for many years, and helped hoist the Class 5A State Championship Trophy after top-seeded Cherry Creek High School blasted No. 2 Ralston Valley 56-28 — its sixth state title in the last seven years — at Canvas Stadium on the campus of Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Cherry Creek, nestled in Greenwood Village, a suburb in the Denver metropolitan area, is known as a top-rated public school with an enrollment of 3,829 students. The Landmark movie theater might be buzzing other evenings of the week in Greenwood Village, but on Fridays in the fall, Cherry Creek football is the only show in town — winners of 15 state championships. With 6-foot-6, 295-pound right offensive tackle Oliver Miller helping lead a storied and stellar offensive line, Cherry Creek went 12-2, 13-1, 13-1 and 14-0 with three state titles over his career.
Now, standing on the field at Canvas Stadium, Miller, the 41st-best offensive tackle in the nation, and sixth-best overall prospect in the state of Colorado in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, officially removed his helmet for the final time in his high school career.
"Pretty surreal," Miller says on Monday night. "My brain wasn't comprehending this was my last game with these boys. This was our first year going undefeated. It was a surreal moment. I love our group of boys so much. It was the best possible way for me to get set up for Kansas State.
"I know how to win. Cherry Creek has helped me so much as I go to the next level."
Miller committed to K-State on May 19, 2025, and he took his official visit to K-State on June 5. But last Wednesday is the date Miller will always remember, as he wore his purple K-State hoodie, and sat with fellow Cherry Creek teammate and K-State signee Maxell Lovett (the 49th-best wide receiver nationally in the Class of 2026 by Rivals), at a long table inside Cherry Creek on signing day.
Then things got a little crazy.
"We were at signing day when the news broke," Miller says. "I was sitting at the signing table and saw a Twitter post about it. Earlier in the morning, I was on a Zoom call with Coach Chris Klieman and super excited. Then I saw rumors Coach Klieman retired, and we were going to get Collin Klein. I looked over at my parents and they were looking at their phones doing the exact same thing. Then my mom showed me the Collin Klein photo.
"We know who Collin Klein is (a native of Loveland, Colorado), and about his success at Texas A&M (as second-year offensive coordinator) and how much of a legend he is at Kansas State (2012 Heisman Trophy finalist). I was a little iffy when Coach Klieman retired, but I was right back into it when I saw Coach Klein was rumored to be the next head coach."
Last Friday, the day that Klein flew into Manhattan for his introductory news conference, Miller received a FaceTime from Klein, which Miller describes as "super exciting."
"I can't wait for what he does," Miller says. "Coach Klein is the embodiment of Kansas State. I trust him with any staff changes. He just wants the absolute best for the program. He knows SEC football. He knows a lot of ball. For him to be so excited and jump on a plane and be our head coach says a lot, especially with the winning seasons at A&M. I put my whole trust in him, and I'm excited to see what he can do.
"We talked about my future, and how I can't wait to see the player he makes me."
Then Miller received a text message.
It was Klein. Again.
"Coach Klein reached out the day before my state championship game, just saying how excited he was to be at K-State," Miller says. "He actually reached out to all the recruits, and they all sent me a text. We were just ecstatic to talk to him. He's super excited for what this 2026 recruiting class to bring.
"We all trust Coach Klein."
Miller's story with K-State began on the Cherry Creek practice field his sophomore season. Then-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Conor Riley watched the Cherry Creek quarterback throw and watched a couple wide receivers catch footballs. As Miller watched his teammates on the practice field, Riley sauntered over and told Miller about K-State. That began a relationship that only grew and took a step when Klieman and Riley visited Cherry Creek one year later and offered Miller a scholarship to play football at K-State.
"My first Power 4 offer," Miller recalls. "You could tell how much they believed in me from the jump. Then two weeks later, Coach Riley went to the Dallas Cowboys, so I was a little bit worried about my offer, but (assistant offensive line coach) Drew Liddle reached out. I was ready to go to Manhattan."
Miller visited K-State offensive line coach Brian Lepak this past spring.
"The first time that I met Brian Lepak in real life, we sat down after spring practice this past spring in his office with my parents," Miller says. "Watching him coach and on the sideline on gamedays, and in the spring practices, how he is in practice is coaching with high love. That's the type of coach I want to be coached by. The relationship we have in calling every week, he's the type of guy that is all about football. I love to learn from experts and that guy is definitely an expert."
The expert was blown away on May 19, 2025.
"It was Monday morning, the week before finals, and Coach Lepak and I had a home visit scheduled," Miller says. "I was excited. Three days prior, I was thinking about the fact that I hated taking calls every night, and knew I'd found home. My top three schools were Purdue, Minnesota and Kansas State. In the back of my mind, I was like, 'I know where home is.' The night before the home visit, I was golfing with my buddies, and I was on the ninth hole and said, 'I already know where home is. I'm going to commit to K-State tomorrow.' I told my parents, and they were ecstatic.
"Coach Lepak wasn't expecting it. He came to my house, and we had a great time and at the very end, Coach Lepak was going to leave and visit other schools. I said, 'Coach, I love everything you're doing. I'm completely bought in. I'm committing to Kansas State.' He put his hands on the table and put his head back and mouth open. He was shocked. It was the best moment. We went outside and took a picture. I'll never forget his excitement. He was so excited for this 2026 offensive line group and how special it will be. I've met a lot of these boys and talk with Keagan Collins a lot. This is a special group. I went to school an hour later, took my final, and posted about my commitment. I'd never experienced a high like that."
Oh, Miller had witnessed the rewards for hard work throughout his high school career at Cherry Creek. Under the guidance of offensive line coach Det Bittie, offensive linemen went places after high school. Miller saw former teammate George Fitzpatrick go to Ohio State before transferring to K-State. Other former offensive linemen went to Colorado, Iowa State and Purdue, while a few went to Group of 5 schools, and a few went to the FCS.
"My sophomore year, my first-ever start was in the semifinals, and after that game, I knew I was going to have a chance to start my junior year," Miller says. "That offseason was still a grind. My coach, Coach Det Betti, is the best high school offensive line coach in the country. He looked at me during a training day, he said something about me getting a scholarship. I told him, 'I'm going to play my hardest for you.' Going to Creek, you always expect being a starter and being a dude for them, which will lead to an offer. I was humbled in the sense that if it happened, it happened, but the real turnaround was when I was playing my best football and was putting trust in my coaches and putting my film out. I trusted my coaches."
And Miller, who is described as an athletic, versatile lineman with good pass-blocking and run-blocking skills, had accumulated plenty of film through the years while experiencing some growing moments along the way.
"Last year, my junior year, my first year as a full-time starter, I went through the motions a little bit," Miller says. "I made my highlight tape and thought, 'I'm not happy with this.' Offseason leading to my senior year, we have great trainers, so the offseason was full head-down grind. My ability to just get on a football field, I always like to say before every game, I love to find something this year that I hate about a team, and that gives me the power and aggression I have throughout the game.
"What sets me apart and will help me play at the Power 4 level is my passion for the game and the way I play and express myself on the field and the way I'm clear minded. Whenever I play, I critique myself on the sideline and watch tape on the sideline. On the field, I play with passion and aggression, and finish plays. That's what sets me apart the most."
Off the field, Miller describes himself as "energetic" and "passionate."
"I'm talking 24-7," he says. "I love to learn. I have a passion for football and academics. I'm a family-oriented man who likes to put his head down and work."
For now, the grind continues for Miller, who this week begins his individual regimen of offseason workouts prior to heading to Manhattan on January 19 as a mid-year enrollee.
"My first offseason training session is today, and I'm so ready to get prepared and get out there," he says. "I'm excited to show off my passion and energy to the rest of the team and be a dude for them. I love to be coachable. I'm not coached to slack off. That's not how my mind is wired, taking days or hours off. I don't stand still — it makes me itchy. What I dream of at night is going to K-State and being a dude for them and at practice being a guy who changes the mood on the field."
As for Miller's goals while at K-State?
"The league is the dream," he says. "The proof is in the pudding when you see all the player from K-State that are in the league. My aspiration is to be the best player and best person I can be. I love the life beyond football and the type of person you are. I just want to be that type of person and become a better person at Kansas State."
In a way, it all goes back to a Zoom call with longtime K-State director of recruiting Taylor Braet soon after news broke of Klieman's retirement and the rumors of Klein's return to K-State.
"Taylor said, 'You guys stay for four years, you guys are going to experience a coaching change.' I was like, 'Yeah, for sure,'" Miller says. "College football is crazy. Taylor said, 'I'm kind of happy now, you guys are signed and committed.' And we stayed committed 100%."
"I'd love K-State no matter who's there," Miller says on Monday night. "College football has become super crazy now with money and everything. I miss the days of college football where you bled the colors of the team you played for, and no matter the change, no matter the circumstance, win or lose, you bled for that team."
He pauses.
"My team is Kansas State."
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