King Miller’s rise was one of the defining stories of USC’s 2025 season, and now the Trojans are counting on it to keep going.
A year ago, Miller was buried deep on the depth chart, a walk-on running back trying to find any path onto the field. By season’s end, he had become USC’s leading rusher and one of the Big Ten’s most productive backs. That kind of leap changes expectations fast, and third-year sophomore is now being asked to carry a much bigger load in 2026.
The breakthrough started with small chances and turned into something much larger. Miller flashed early in garbage time, ripping off a 75-yard touchdown in the season opener and later adding a 41-yard score against Georgia Southern.
With Bryan Jackson sidelined by turf toe, Miller climbed to the No. 3 spot and even picked up a few snaps in the regular rotation. Then came the Michigan game, when injuries hit Eli Sanders and Waymond Jordan in the first half and Miller took over.
He responded with 158 yards and a touchdown, and from there he never really gave the job back.
By the end of the year, Miller had piled up 972 yards and eight touchdowns on 156 carries, good for 6.2 yards per carry. He started the final seven games, topped 100 yards four times, and finished just a yard short of the century mark in the Alamo Bowl. He also added 16 catches for 111 yards and earned Freshman All-American second-team honors from The Athletic.
Running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr. said Miller’s emergence caught plenty of people off guard.
"To be honest, King shocked a lot of people," running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr. said. "It's two people that King really didn't shock.
No. 1 was himself, and No. 2 was, quite honestly, me. This kid was a walk-on for us, came in, did not say much, and just came in, and he just worked extremely hard in practice.
"What the world seen and what college football seen in his breakout year, he is on pace to do that again plus more."
Miller also spent the offseason adding weight, and Jones said the difference is obvious. He described Miller as someone who "looks different...feels different...runs different."
"He runs a lot more confident now than he had in the past. So he's a better version of himself right now," Jones said.
"He's going to be a big part of our offense, so he wants to make sure that he has the physical capability of being healthy throughout the long course of the season. "
USC now pairs Miller with Jordan in what could be one of the nation’s best backfield duos. Both have 1,000-yard potential if the carries are there, especially with an experienced offensive line and some highly regarded freshmen in the mix up front. How often the Trojans lean on the ground game may depend on how quickly the new receiving corps comes together, but Jayden Maiava’s arm should still force defenses to respect the pass and create room for the runners.
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