Bart Miller is in his fifth season as offensive line coach at Illinois in 2025.

Miller has helped change the brand of Illinois football with tough, physical offensive line play during his time on the Fighting Illini staff. Under Miller, 17 of Illinois starters during his first four seasons have earned All-Big Ten accolades, including all five starters in both 2022 and 2023, and all four full-time starters in 2024. Illinois' 17 all-conference lineman over the last four seasons rank fourth in the Big Ten over that timeframe, just two behind Ohio State and Penn State, and one behind Michigan. 
    
Miller’s 2024 offensive line, which featured new additions at both tackle spots, helped the Fighting Illini produce one of the program’s best offensive seasons, resulting in a 10-3 record, tying the program's single-season wins record, and a final ranking of #16 in the AP Top 25. J.C. Davis earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors at left tackle for the Illini, while Melvin Priestly was tabbed an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honoree at right tackle. Center Josh Kreutz and left guard Josh Gesky each earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors for the second straight season, while Brandon Henderson took over at right guard midway through the season and bolstered the unit. Illinois capped the year with a victory over #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in one of the biggest bowl wins in program history, as the offensive line powered running back Josh McCray to 114 rushing yards and two touchdowns on his way to Citrus Bowl MVP honors.

Illinois' offense ranked as one of the best in the Big Ten in 2023 with help from Miller's offensive line. The Illini finished in the top five in the conference in passing (3rd), total yards (t-4th), and scoring (5th) and led the Big Ten West in all three categories. All five starters on the offensive line earned All-Big Ten honors, including two first-year starters in Kreutz and Gesky. Following the season, two-year starter Isaiah Adams became the highest-drafted Illini offensive lineman since 2012 when the Arizona Cardinals selected him in the third round with the No. 71 overall pick. 

Miller helped Illinois to one of its best seasons in over a decade in 2022, as the Illini finished the regular season 8-4 and earned a trip to the ReliaQuest Bowl, Illinois' first January bowl game in 15 years. The Illini were ranked in the AP Top 25 for five straight weeks, and Illinois was ranked in the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time in school history. Miller's group was one of the most dominant for the Illini, as Illinois' offensive line was named a Joe Moore Award semifinalist for the first time in program history. All five starters on the offensive line earned All-Big Ten honors, and RT Alex Palczewski was the first tackle in Illinois history to earn a first-team All-American selection. The offensive line also paved the way for running back Chase Brown, who ranked fourth in the nation in rushing and was Illinois' first-ever Doak Walker Award finalist. 

Miller coached one of the most veteran offensive line groups in the nation in 2021, including All-Big Ten performers Doug Kramer (second team), Vederian Lowe (honorable mention), and Alex Palczewski (honorable mention). The group helped pave the way for Chase Brown to be Illinois' 14th 1,000-yard rusher in program history and pull off ranked road wins at #7 Penn State and #20 Minnesota. The season-defining win at Penn State was fueled by the offensive line, as Brown rushed for 223 yards - the most ever by an opponent at Beaver Stadium - and freshman Josh McCray had another 142 rushing yards, the most ever by an Illini true freshman against a top-25 opponent. For the season, the Illini run blocking was graded #14 in the nation according to Pro Football Focus. Following the season, Lowe (Vikings) and Kramer (Bears) were both selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

When Miller came to Illinois in 2021, he joined Bret Bielema's coaching staff for the second time and came to Champaign-Urbana after two successful seasons as offensive line coach and offensive run-game coordinator at Wyoming.

Miller's first full-time coaching position came as the offensive line coach at Wisconsin under Bielema 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 236.4 rushing yards per game. Wisconsin won its third straight Big Ten Championship that season, defeating Nebraska 70-31 in the Big Ten Championship Game, and played in a third consecutive Rose Bowl. 

At Wisconsin, Miller coached All-Big Ten first team selections Travis Frederick (center) and Rick Wagner (left tackle) in 2012. Frederick earned All-America first team honors from Pro Football Weekly and went on to be the first-round selection of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Draft. Wagner received All-America second team recognition from CBS and was a fifth-round selection by the Baltimore Ravens. 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 his latest stop at Wyoming, Miller joined the Cowboy staff in 2019 as offensive line coach and was promoted to Offensive Run-Game Coordinator in addition to his offensive line duties for the 2020 season. In his first season coaching the offensive line, the Cowboys were named to the 2019 Joe Moore Award Honor Roll, honoring the top collegiate offensive line units in the nation. 

Miller coached the offensive line at Ohio University in 2018, when the Bobcats posted a 9-4 overall record, including a 6-2 mark 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 the Bobcats defeated San Diego State, 27-0.

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.

Miller coached the offensive line at Minnesota during the 2016 season when the Golden Gophers enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in recent history, winning nine games (9-4 record) for the first time since 2003 and placing fourth in the Big Ten West Division. Prior to Minnesota, Miller coached the offensive line at Florida Atlantic for the 2014 and 2015 seasons and New Mexico State for the 2013 season.

In 2011, as a graduate assistant during his first stint with Bielema, Miller helped coach a Wisconsin team that ranked No. 11 in the country in rushing offense, averaging 235.6 rushing yards, and 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 All-America first team 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 All-Big Ten first team quarterback Russell Wilson.

As a player at the University of New Mexico from 2003-07 under head coach Rocky Long, 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. New Mexico won the 2007 New Mexico Bowl over Nevada by a score of 23-0. 

Miller played football and graduated from Elk Grove High School in the Chicago area prior to completing his bachelor's degree in organizational communication from New Mexico in 2007. He obtained a master's degree in education from New Mexico State in 2011. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Miller and his wife, Amy, have two sons, Barrett and Gunner.

Coaching Career