University of St. Francis (III.)

Thomas Miller joined the Fighting Saints in July of 2020 as an assistant coach to the defensive backs.  Before the 2021 season, Miller was named the team’s Defensive Coordinator.  The 2025-26 season will mark Miller’s fifth year as Defensive Coordinator and sixth overall as an assistant coach.

At St. Francis, Miller assists the program in coordination of practice plans, individual player development, assisting in training sessions, and implementation of game strategies.

Miller has helped USF to an overall record of 29-18 (19-11 MSFA) during his five years with the program, while capturing a share of the 2021 MSFA Midwest league title.   Miller was named the 2021 Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest Assistant Coach of the Year after improving a defense that allowed 38 ppg/420 ypg in 2019 to just 17 ppg/294 ypg by 2021.  The 17 ppg and 294 ypg ranked first in the MSFA-Midwest in 2021.  In 2023, Miller was again named the MSFA Midwest Assistant Coach of the Year after guiding his defensive unit in breaking two USF records (fewest points allowed – 143, and fewest yards allowed – 2,516) and tying one (shutouts – 3) that have stood since 1988.

During his five seasons at USF, Miller has helped develop 34 MSFA Defensive All-Conference selections, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year (Kemon Reese), as well as three NAIA Defensive All-Americans (Angel Mata, Michael R. Johnson, Kemon Reese).  Miller has also seen nine of his players receive MSFA Player of the Week awards.

Prior to joining the Fighting Saints staff, Miller spent five seasons (2015-2019) as an assistant football coach at NCAA Division II University of Minnesota-Crookston, which included two seasons (2018-2019) as the Golden Eagles’ assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.  Miller was the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator for the 2016 & 2017 seasons after serving as safeties coach in the 2015 campaign.

Miller began his coaching career in 2013 as an assistant coach to the wide receivers and special teams at NCAA Division III Concordia University-Chicago in River Forest, Ill. after being the head football scout for Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) Athletic Recruiting in Chicago, Ill. from 2010-2014.  In 2014, he accepted a coaching position at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he served as an assistant coach to the linebackers and undertook responsibilities as the JV defensive coordinator.  He was also in charge of video coordination for the Pointers.

Miller graduated from NCAA Division III Ripon College (Wis.) in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and earned his master’s in coaching and athletics administration from Concordia University-Irvine (Calif.) in 2020.  While at Ripon, Miller was a founder of the Ripon College Rugby Football Club, where he actively competed for two seasons before spending the 2012 football season as a student assistant coach for the Red Hawks.

Miller’s great grandfather, George Brace, was the Chicago Cub’s official photographer for over 60 years.