MADISON- Malik Miller is one of the most heralded football players in the history of Madison Academy High School, and as a senior was among the top prospects in Alabama and the Southeast. Battling through a recruiting war for his talents, Miller looked at Florida State, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi State and Auburn before choosing to attend college on The Plains in Auburn.

Hit with numerous injuries including three different meniscus tears of his left knee and surgeries to go along with those blows, Miller chose to give up football, bypassed his senior season with the Tigers and received a medical hardship allowing him to complete his degree in exercise science under his scholarship. He played in just 35 games in his four seasons at Auburn where he rushed for 314 yards on 81 carries and five touchdowns. He also had 20 pass receptions for 217 yards and on TD.

Now, the 26-year old is giving back to his alma mater as he is officially the running backs coach at Madison Academy the Class 3A school under head coach Bob Godsey.

“I believe God orchestrated the whole deal as I dropped by the school to assist in summer football camps and connected with Coach Godsey,” said Miller. “The move to be on staff at Madison Academy was indeed great timing, a superb opportunity and gives me sense of purpose. I do see myself making a difference for our players as I know how they feel in the positions they are in, and I want them to exceed at a much higher level of play.”

He works full time in the corporate world with Boeing, but Miller looks at his work with the Mustangs as one of the most satisfying aspects of his life. Once graduating from Auburn in the spring of 2020 he chose to remain in Auburn and worked as a personal trainer at a local gym and then moved back to Huntsville in 2021 where he worked for All State Insurance. “The transition of trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life was interesting and I received a lot of support from my family as I make my way to what I’m doing now reach I really enjoy,” added Miller. “I feel blessed.”

Still looking his physical build he carried at Auburn, which is 5-foot-11, 235-pounds, Miller coaches football, but knows his work with the young student-athletes is even more important as Miller feels he gives the players the tools to be beneficial on their growth and what to do look for once high school is complete. Miller added, “I feel confident as I know the concepts of coaching and I communicate with the players as I’m just young enough I can still understand where they’re at and what they are about to walk into.”

Adversity is something Miller has faced in an array of ways beginning when he first played football at age nine when he was a self-proclaimed “overweight kid who couldn’t run the ball.” He endured his struggles of wanting to be a running back and finally got the chance in the eighth grade when he had a growth spurt which did away with much of his “overweight” and soon gravitated to being in his team’s offensive backfield. He never looked back.

Upon arriving at Madison Academy as a freshman, Miller began taking reps right away at running back and soon began to make his mark among the Mustangs as a true talent and leader. Under then head coach Eric Cohu, Miller led his team to three consecutive state championships while earning All-State honors and was invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The 247 Sports Composite ranked him as the nation’s number one fullback, but the talented athlete made it clear he wanted to be a running back and Auburn agreed to his wish as in his senior year he rushed for 1,390 yards with 24 touchdowns. While with Madison Academy, the Mustangs posted an unbelievable 53-5 record along with three state titles.

At Auburn, his toughest decision was when he decided to hang up his cleats due to injuries. Surgeries were required and he even underwent a type of special operation where doctors took bone marrow from his hip joint and injected into his left knee in sort of a regeneration idea. The idea was to take the MS Cells and inject into a particular area of the body. The procedure is currently working towards assisting those with spinal cord injuries. “The procedure helped with the pain I experienced and assisted in the range of motion of my knee, but it still wasn’t enough as I felt my body had enough, so I made the tough decision to give up the sport I loved,” added Miller.

Today, with the same bright smile he had when he played on the manicured grounds of Madison Academy, Miller is helping others who may one day be in the same positions as he. Miller is glad he completed his education and indicated he would never say never to the thought of becoming an educator and coach fulltime.

“I was raised not to put all my eggs in the same basket,” said Miller. “I began getting my ducks all in-a-row several years ago. This is all in life experiences I have learned. I’m happy where I am now.”