Now-redshirt sophomore running back King Miller arrived at USC in August 2024 as a three-star walk-on from Calabasas High School. He didn’t have a football scholarship, but he did have a dream to be a Trojan and play at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum under the brightest lights with his brothers. 

Fast forward to 2025, when the then-unranked Trojans needed him most; he rose to the occasion and hasn’t left it since. The running back’s breakout performance against Michigan last October became his career-defining performance with a career-high in rushing yards with 158. 

Miller finished last season with 972 on-the-ground yards on 156 carries in addition to appearing in all 13 games USC played.

After a breakout season, the biggest question was whether he could sustain his success going into the 2026 season, when he would be splitting running duties with redshirt senior running back Waymond Jordan.

Just like last year, his momentum is up: Despite the return of Jordan, Miller simply outran him — literally.

This season, Miller has accumulated 595 yards, racking up four touchdowns and three games with 100 or more rushing yards for the No. 16 Trojans (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten). Even though he was initially viewed as part of the 1a and 1b punch in the backfield, he quickly solidified himself as RB1 on USC’s loaded squad.

His accolades continue, pocketing Big Ten Freshman Player of the Week honors last year and finishing the first season on the Big Ten Honorable Mention team. Starting as a three-star prospect in high school to excelling on a top-ranked college football team is a dream come true for most athletes, including Miller.

While Miller had a decent start to the season, everything changed when he exploded against Louisiana (5-2, 2-1 Sun Belt Conference). He ran for a season high in rushing yards with 128 against the Ragin’ Cajuns. He hasn’t been able to put up a number of rushing yards as significant as the Louisiana game since, but his past performance at Penn State (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) has certainly set him up for a similar trajectory. 

The Trojans met the Nittany Lions on the road during their annual “White Out” game. In a back-and-forth battle, the Trojans fought to break away and take the lead in the tight matchup. 

All the momentum shifted, however, in the third quarter, when redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava handed the ball to Miller: He took off, scoring a 13-yard touchdown to completely change the game for the Trojans and hand his team the win. 

“For this team, feeling like they have confidence in you to go out there, especially in that environment; for them to call my number to get in that end zone was just thanks to the team,” Miller said in an Oct. 13 press conference. 

Miller’s third-quarter touchdown against the Nittany Lions was the final push that the Trojans needed to break away from the hostile Penn State environment as USC continues to bolster its conference record.

Leading up to the Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) game, Miller’s mindset has not changed this season: striving to be the best player he can be with each passing game.

“Every moment I get to play another game in this cardinal and gold is a special one to me,” Miller said in the press conference.  

What makes every game even more special is who he gets to share the field with: His twin brother, redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Kaylon Miller, has been a crucial part of the offense, starting in four of the seven games this season. Furthermore, their younger brother, freshman running back Kayne Miller, is finding his footing on the squad and sitting behind King on the depth chart. King Miller’s’s cousin, Olaijah Griffin, was a cornerback for the Trojans from 2018 to 2020.

While football clearly runs in the Miller family, off the field, the Millers have other distinct connections to the Trojan family. 

Perhaps the most famous members of the family are King Miller’s uncles, Dr. Dre and Warren G. Young. The famous rappers came together to create the Iovine and Young Academy at USC, which teaches students at the intersection of business, technology and design. 

King Miller is no stranger to the Trojan tradition. He has established himself as a key member of USC’s offense, where he was once overlooked. 

From a three-star recruit with immense talent to leading the Trojans to six wins this season, college football teams should beware — because it’s Miller time.