by staff–20 Feb ’19
Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl filled the final opening on his coaching staff on Wednesday with the hiring of Bart Miller as Wyoming’s new offensive line coach. Miller has strong ties to the Mountain West Conference. He was a starting offensive guard at New Mexico during his playing career from 2003-07, and he later coached tight ends at Air Force in 2017.
Miller coached the offensive line at Ohio University in 2018. The Bobcats enjoyed a very successful season in 2018, posting a 9-4 overall record and a 6-2 record in the Mid-American Conference to place second in the East Division. Ohio earned a berth in the DXL Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas, where they defeated San Diego State, 27-0.
“Coach Miller brings a great understanding of the Mountain West Conference having played for Rocky Long at New Mexico when they were a power football team and having coached at Air Force,” said Bohl. “Along with his background, he enjoys a great national reputation of being a power offensive line coach. We’re convinced he is going to be a great match for the University of Wyoming, playing Cowboy Tough football.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me and my family,” said Miller. “To be able work with Coach (Craig) Bohl and his coaching staff and to get back in the Mountain West Conference is exciting. What has been accomplished at Wyoming the past several years is extremely impressive. I love the tough, physical style of play that Coach Bohl has brought to Wyoming. It fits with the type of system that I am used to coaching in. I’m looking forward to working with this staff and these players and competing for a Mountain West Championship. I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Ohio ranked No. 9 in the nation in rushing offense in 2018, averaging 258.5 yards per game. The Bobcats ranked No. 12 in the NCAA in scoring offense (40.1 points per game) and were No. 16 in total offense (466.8 yards per game). The offensive unit also ranked No. 8 in the nation in third-down conversions (48.7 percent), was No. 9 in time of possession (33:18), tied for 17th in first downs gained (318) and ranked No. 23 in the NCAA in red-zone offense as it converted 88.9 percent of its red-zone opportunities into scores.
In 2018, Miller coached Ohio senior left tackle Joe Lowery, who was named by Pro Football Focus (PFF) as the 2018 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and was selected by PFF as a Second Team All-American. PFF rated Lowery as the third highest graded offensive tackle in the nation. Lowery was also named a 2018 MAC First Team All-Conference selection. He was joined by fellow senior offensive lineman Joe Anderson on the MAC First Team. Both Anderson and Lowery were invited to and played in the 2019 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl All-Star game. A third Bobcat senior offensive lineman, Durrell Wood, was named to the All-MAC Second Team in 2018.
While coaching the tight ends at Air Force in 2017, Miller was part of an offensive unit that averaged 417.5 yards of total offense per game to rank No. 3 in the Mountain West and averaged 307.4 rushing yards per game to lead the league and rank No. 4 in the nation. The Falcons also averaged 31.4 points per game to rank No. 3 in the conference. Miller’s tight end unit averaged 19.5 yards per reception, led by senior Ryan Reffitt, who totaled 173 receiving yards and caught two touchdown passes.
Miller coached the offensive line for the University of Minnesota for the 2016 season. The Golden Gophers enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in recent history in 2016, winning nine games (9-4 record) for the first time since 2003 and placing fourth in the Big Ten West Division. The Gophers earned a bid to the 2016 Holiday Bowl, where they defeated Washington State, 17-12. Miller coached offensive lineman Jonah Pirsig, who earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and the media. Miller’s offensive line helped pave the way for the rushing tandem of Rodney Smith (1,158 yards, 16 touchdowns) and Shannon Brooks (670 yards). Minnesota averaged 183.6 rushing yards per game to rank No. 5 in the Big Ten, and the Gophers ranked No. 19 in the nation in fewest sacks allowed (1.31 per game).
Prior to Minnesota, Miller coached the offensive line at Florida Atlantic for the 2014 and ‘15 seasons. He coached freshman offensive lineman Reggie Bain in 2014, who was named a Freshman All-American by 247 Sports. Bain was also named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team in 2014, and he earned Second Team All-CUSA honors in 2015. Also in 2015, offensive linemen Mikingson Marsaille and Kelly Parfitt both earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors. Offensive lineman Dillon DeBoer earned Academic All-Conference recognition in 2015. Miller’s offensive line at Florida Atlantic allowed only 21 sacks in 869 plays in 2014, and only 26 sacks in 887 opportunities in 2015. In the four seasons before Miller arrived, the Owls had allowed an average of 31 sacks per season.
As the offensive line coach at New Mexico State for the 2013 season, Miller helped create a new offensive system for the Aggies which in the last five games of the season averaged 34 points per game, 180 rushing yards per game and 300 yards of total offense per game. He took over a line that had allowed 45 sacks the year prior to his arrival and improved that protection by more than half to only 20 sacks allowed in more than 400 plays in 2013.
Miller’s first full-time coaching position came as the offensive line coach at Wisconsin in 2012, He took over the offensive line unit in September of 2012 after serving as a graduate assistant coach the previous season at Wisconsin. The Badgers ranked No. 13 in the nation in rushing offense in 2012, averaging 236.36 rushing yards per game. The Badgers won their third straight Big Ten Championship, defeating Nebraska in the Big Ten Championship Game, and played in their third consecutive Rose Bowl. Miller coached First Team All-Big Ten selections Travis Frederick (center) and Rick Wagner (left tackle) in 2012. Frederick earned First Team All-America honors from Pro Football Weekly and went on to be the first round selection of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Draft. Wagner received Second Team All-America recognition from CBS and was a fifth round selection by the Baltimore Ravens. A junior on that offensive line, guard Ryan Groy, went on to earn First Team All-Big Ten honors in 2013 and was a Third Team Associated Press All-American in 2013. He also went on to play in the NFL. Wisconsin’s offensive line unit blocked for running back Montee Ball, who was the 2012 Doak Walker Award Winner, a two-time (2011 and ‘12) Consensus All-American, the 2012 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and a 2012 Heisman Trophy Finalist.
In 2011 as a graduate assistant, Miller helped coach a Wisconsin team that ranked No. 11 in the country in rushing offense, averaging 235.57 rushing yards. Miller worked directly with the offensive line and tight ends. The 2011 offense averaged 44.1 points per game to rank No. 6 in the nation. Wisconsin won the Inaugural Big Ten Championship Game over Michigan State, captured its second consecutive Big Ten title and appeared in the Rose Bowl for the second straight season. Miller helped coach First Team All-Big Ten honorees Peter Konz (center), Josh Oglesby (tackle) and Kevin Zeitler (guard). Konz and Zeitler were First Team All-America selections by both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Pro Football Weekly. Zeitler was a first round selection by the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL Draft, and Konz was taken in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons. That offensive line aided in the success of running back Ball and First Team All-Big Ten quarterback Russell Wilson.
Miller began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2010 at New Mexico State where he worked primarily with the offensive line.
As a player at the University of New Mexico from 2003-07, Miller was a starter and two-year letterman on the offensive line. He earned Academic All-Mountain West Conference honors as a junior and senior. The Lobos had a 1,000-yard rusher, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 3,000-yard passer in 2007. The Lobos appeared in four bowl games during Miller’s career: the 2003 Las Vegas Bowl, 2004 Emerald Bowl and 2006 and ‘07 New Mexico Bowls. He played for head coach Rocky Long at New Mexico.
