Oct 28, 2026 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
One of the most unique true freshmen in the Football Bowl Subdivision stands after Monday morning's practice in a sleeveless purple hoodie with "K-STATE" emblazoned upon the center of his chest. About one month has passed since 6-foot-6, 294-pound Oliver Miller, one of the Wildcats' most athletic offensive linemen, listened to head coach Collin Klein and assistant coaches discuss with him a new possibility, a new opportunity, to help the Wildcats as senior tight end Garrett Oakley recovered from an illness and senior Will Anciaux went down with a season-ending injury.
That opportunity? To help the Wildcats' offense by playing a hybrid blocking role at tight end.
"I was recruited as a versatile player," Miller says. "With that versatility, I was able to learn a lot of positions during the offseason. Tight end was a switch for sure, but I've been able to do it cleanly.
"It's working out really well."
The 18-year-old Miller is a towering youngster with massive size and nimble feet who helped K-State to 359 rushing yards against Kansas — the fifth-most rushing yards by K-State in the Big 12 Conference era — and who also performed admirably as a vaunted pass protector in a 28-17 loss at Arizona State last Saturday. All this after Miller was expected to start the 2026 season at left tackle in place of Preseason All-Big 12 selection John Pastore, who suffered a season-ending leg injury during fall practice, while it was announced that fifth-year tackle George Fitzpatrick would also miss the season. But Miller's plans of beginning his true freshman season as starting left tackle were dashed, as he also suffered an injury two weeks prior to the season opener.
Once Miller was healthy, and at a time when K-State was without its top two tight ends, Miller walked into a situation that K-State coaches had prepared him for during fall practice in case of an emergency — a hybrid blocking role at tight end — while switching his uniform number from one usually worn by an offensive lineman (No. 73) to one worn by a tight end (No. 45) in the name of stabilizing the K-State offense with roster flexibility.
"I'm mainly with the tight ends during team periods," Miller says. "I'm still doing individual drills with the offensive line. I can't wait to be with offensive line coach Mike Schmidt for years to come. I'm super excited about that."
Asked whether he could see a K-State quarterback perhaps look his way in a game, Miller replied, "We'll see. Hands are good. I caught a pass in third grade once. That's about my experience."
There was potential in the air as former K-State offensive line coach Brian Lepak — who moved to K-State tight ends coach this season — sat inside the living room of Andrew and Stefanie Miller on May 19, 2025. Miller met Lepak in his office after a K-State spring practice about one month prior and Miller said, "That's the kind of coach I want to be coached by." Now Lepak and the Millers spoke inside their home in Greenwood Village, Colorado, in mid-May. As Lepak rose to leave, Oliver said, "Coach, I love everything you're doing. I'm completely bought in. I'm committing to Kansas State." Lepak put his hands on the table and rolled his head back with his mouth wide open in excitement. Then Oliver and Lepak went outside and took a picture to celebrate the occasion.
It remains a valued portrait of a special coach-pupil relationship as Lepak now guides Miller through the ins and outs of playing as a blocking tight end in Klein's offense.
"It may have taken a couple practices to get into it, but Coach Lepak knows how to coach me," Miller says. "It's been really smooth sailing, for sure. He's an amazing, smart guy, and that's exactly how he coaches his tight ends."
Klein is pleased with the progression of Miller as a blocking tight end, adding that he is "filling a gap and doing a heck of a job for us," while Miller bides his time before the return of Oakley could potentially shift his duties primarily back to the offensive line on a more full-time basis.
"I still have No. 73 implanted in my brain," Klein says. "We're not touching that. This is just a temporary thing. He's a great teammate and his football IQ is off the charts. What he's done for our offense to be able to work through a situation at tight end, there are not many true freshmen in the country that are going to do that."
Miller will get a chance to put his talents on display when K-State, 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12 Conference, visits Colorado, 2-5 and 0-4, in Saturday's 1:00 p.m. (CT) kickoff at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. Miller says that many family members attended the University of Colorado. He chose to attend K-State and play for Klein, a native of Loveland, Colorado.
Miller committed to K-State on May 19, 2025, and he took his official visit to K-State on June 5. But December 3 is a date that Miller will always remember, as he wore his purple K-State hoodie, and sat at a long table inside Cherry Creek High School on National Signing Day. It wasn't long before Miller received a FaceTime from Klein, who was hired as K-State head coach on December 4. Miller called the FaceTime "super exciting."
"The state of Colorado is really close to me, and I love going back," Miller says. "Been to Boulder a few times just to visit. I have a lot of family who went there. This game means a lot. I'm excited to be back. Lots of family. That'll be exciting. I've been getting texts about every day about it. I'm excited.
"When Coach Klein and I hopped on FaceTime when he got the job, that was the first thing we talked about, him being from Loveland. That's something we definitely connected on at first. It's been really great. Me and Coach Klein have a great connection, and I'm super blessed to be able to play for him."
Miller's story with K-State began on the Cherry Creek practice field his sophomore season. Then-offensive coordinator and K-State 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 former K-State head coach Chris Klieman and Riley visited Cherry Creek one year later and offered Miller a scholarship to play football at K-State. It was Miller's first scholarship offer from a Power 4 school.
Although Klieman announced his retirement and Klein was hired as K-State head coach during a dizzying two-day stretch this past December, Miller was committed to K-State.
"I'd love K-State no matter who's there," Miller says. "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.
"My team is Kansas State."
Miller's beliefs remain steadfast and if anything, have strengthened, as he strives to contribute in any way he can on the field.
"Win or lose, I'm here for this team, and anything I can do to contribute to the victory of this team, I'm going to do so and be here, no matter what happens," Miller says. "I'm going to be here with these coaches, because it truly is a family here.
"My goals for the rest of the season are the same. I've proven it, that I want to find a way to help this team throughout the season and throughout my years that I'm here. Being a versatile guy, I'm ready for anything that's thrown at me."
That's Miller — ready for anything — and quite possibly the most versatile true freshman in college football.
One of the most unique true freshmen in the Football Bowl Subdivision stands after Monday morning's practice in a sleeveless purple hoodie with "K-STATE" emblazoned upon the center of his chest. About one month has passed since 6-foot-6, 294-pound Oliver Miller, one of the Wildcats' most athletic offensive linemen, listened to head coach Collin Klein and assistant coaches discuss with him a new possibility, a new opportunity, to help the Wildcats as senior tight end Garrett Oakley recovered from an illness and senior Will Anciaux went down with a season-ending injury.
That opportunity? To help the Wildcats' offense by playing a hybrid blocking role at tight end.
"I was recruited as a versatile player," Miller says. "With that versatility, I was able to learn a lot of positions during the offseason. Tight end was a switch for sure, but I've been able to do it cleanly.
"It's working out really well."
The 18-year-old Miller is a towering youngster with massive size and nimble feet who helped K-State to 359 rushing yards against Kansas — the fifth-most rushing yards by K-State in the Big 12 Conference era — and who also performed admirably as a vaunted pass protector in a 28-17 loss at Arizona State last Saturday. All this after Miller was expected to start the 2026 season at left tackle in place of Preseason All-Big 12 selection John Pastore, who suffered a season-ending leg injury during fall practice, while it was announced that fifth-year tackle George Fitzpatrick would also miss the season. But Miller's plans of beginning his true freshman season as starting left tackle were dashed, as he also suffered an injury two weeks prior to the season opener.
Once Miller was healthy, and at a time when K-State was without its top two tight ends, Miller walked into a situation that K-State coaches had prepared him for during fall practice in case of an emergency — a hybrid blocking role at tight end — while switching his uniform number from one usually worn by an offensive lineman (No. 73) to one worn by a tight end (No. 45) in the name of stabilizing the K-State offense with roster flexibility.
"I'm mainly with the tight ends during team periods," Miller says. "I'm still doing individual drills with the offensive line. I can't wait to be with offensive line coach Mike Schmidt for years to come. I'm super excited about that."
Asked whether he could see a K-State quarterback perhaps look his way in a game, Miller replied, "We'll see. Hands are good. I caught a pass in third grade once. That's about my experience."
There was potential in the air as former K-State offensive line coach Brian Lepak — who moved to K-State tight ends coach this season — sat inside the living room of Andrew and Stefanie Miller on May 19, 2025. Miller met Lepak in his office after a K-State spring practice about one month prior and Miller said, "That's the kind of coach I want to be coached by." Now Lepak and the Millers spoke inside their home in Greenwood Village, Colorado, in mid-May. As Lepak rose to leave, Oliver said, "Coach, I love everything you're doing. I'm completely bought in. I'm committing to Kansas State." Lepak put his hands on the table and rolled his head back with his mouth wide open in excitement. Then Oliver and Lepak went outside and took a picture to celebrate the occasion.
It remains a valued portrait of a special coach-pupil relationship as Lepak now guides Miller through the ins and outs of playing as a blocking tight end in Klein's offense.
"It may have taken a couple practices to get into it, but Coach Lepak knows how to coach me," Miller says. "It's been really smooth sailing, for sure. He's an amazing, smart guy, and that's exactly how he coaches his tight ends."
Klein is pleased with the progression of Miller as a blocking tight end, adding that he is "filling a gap and doing a heck of a job for us," while Miller bides his time before the return of Oakley could potentially shift his duties primarily back to the offensive line on a more full-time basis.
"I still have No. 73 implanted in my brain," Klein says. "We're not touching that. This is just a temporary thing. He's a great teammate and his football IQ is off the charts. What he's done for our offense to be able to work through a situation at tight end, there are not many true freshmen in the country that are going to do that."
Miller will get a chance to put his talents on display when K-State, 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12 Conference, visits Colorado, 2-5 and 0-4, in Saturday's 1:00 p.m. (CT) kickoff at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. Miller says that many family members attended the University of Colorado. He chose to attend K-State and play for Klein, a native of Loveland, Colorado.
Miller committed to K-State on May 19, 2025, and he took his official visit to K-State on June 5. But December 3 is a date that Miller will always remember, as he wore his purple K-State hoodie, and sat at a long table inside Cherry Creek High School on National Signing Day. It wasn't long before Miller received a FaceTime from Klein, who was hired as K-State head coach on December 4. Miller called the FaceTime "super exciting."
"The state of Colorado is really close to me, and I love going back," Miller says. "Been to Boulder a few times just to visit. I have a lot of family who went there. This game means a lot. I'm excited to be back. Lots of family. That'll be exciting. I've been getting texts about every day about it. I'm excited.
"When Coach Klein and I hopped on FaceTime when he got the job, that was the first thing we talked about, him being from Loveland. That's something we definitely connected on at first. It's been really great. Me and Coach Klein have a great connection, and I'm super blessed to be able to play for him."
Miller's story with K-State began on the Cherry Creek practice field his sophomore season. Then-offensive coordinator and K-State 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 former K-State head coach Chris Klieman and Riley visited Cherry Creek one year later and offered Miller a scholarship to play football at K-State. It was Miller's first scholarship offer from a Power 4 school.
Although Klieman announced his retirement and Klein was hired as K-State head coach during a dizzying two-day stretch this past December, Miller was committed to K-State.
"I'd love K-State no matter who's there," Miller says. "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.
"My team is Kansas State."
Miller's beliefs remain steadfast and if anything, have strengthened, as he strives to contribute in any way he can on the field.
"Win or lose, I'm here for this team, and anything I can do to contribute to the victory of this team, I'm going to do so and be here, no matter what happens," Miller says. "I'm going to be here with these coaches, because it truly is a family here.
"My goals for the rest of the season are the same. I've proven it, that I want to find a way to help this team throughout the season and throughout my years that I'm here. Being a versatile guy, I'm ready for anything that's thrown at me."
That's Miller — ready for anything — and quite possibly the most versatile true freshman in college football.
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