Blake Miller joined the Rice Owls football coaching staff on January 19, following head coach David Bailiff to Houston from Texas State.

Miller rejoined the Texas State staff three seasons ago as co-offensive coordinator after spending the 2003 season at SMU. He originally joined the Texas State staff in 2000 after three successful seasons at Southland Conference rival Northwestern State.

In 2005, Texas State's offense ranked 11th among NCAA Division I-AA schools, ranked 15th nationally in rushing offense (228.43 ypg) and led the Southland Conference in total yards (439.07 ypg). The Bobcats' offense was also ranked eighth nationally in scoring (37.00 ppg).

The Bobcats' 2005 SLC title run marked the third time in his coaching career Miller has been a part of a Southland Conference championship season. The '05 Texas State team reached the NCAA semifinals and was ranked fourth in the final post-season polls.

During his tenure in Natchitoches, La., Miller helped the Demons to a pair of SLC championships as Northwestern State's offense was ranked at or near the top of every offensive category in the league. Northwestern State played in both the 1997 and 1998 NCAA Division I-AA Championship playoffs, advancing to the semifinals in '98.

At Texas State, Miller coached nine offensive linemen who have earned All-Southland Conference first or second-team accolades, and in nine years in the league has coached 11 different players to All-SLC honors including three All-Americans.

The 2000 Texas State team posted a 7-4 overall record and a 5-2 mark in the Southland. Until the 2005 season, it was the program's best finish since joining the SLC. Despite injuries which forced several changes and adaptations by the offensive line in 2004, the Bobcats posted a winning conference record and ranked in the top 30 nationally in rushing offense.

Miller, a member of the American Football Coaches Association, also coached at Kilgore, Texas, High School for two seasons and at Episcopal High School in Baton Rouge, La., for one season.

For three seasons, Miller played in the National Football League with New England, Detroit and the New York Giants. He played in a career-high 12 games, starting five for the Detroit Lions in 1992.

Miller was a four-year letter winner and two-year starter at Louisiana State University. He was a First-Team All-Southeastern Conference pick as a senior and received All-America notice as well. Miller was selected to play in the Blue-Gray Bowl, the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Japan Bowl following his senior season. He was a seventh-round selection of the New England Patriots during the 1991 NFL draft.

Miller's recruiting area with Texas State included San Antonio, the Texas Hill Country, North Austin and Central Texas. He is single.