Iowa State football's Tyler Miller ready to lead Cyclones offensive line room

AMES – Iowa State's Tyler Miller remembers how daunting it was to start on the Cyclones' offensive line for the first time as a redshirt freshman in the 2021 Cheez-It Bowl.

Miller noticed two Clemson players coming off his side of the ball, but it was too late. He was supposed to call out to his teammates before the play unfolded to get some help.

But he couldn’t even get the words out of his mouth. So the play went on just as Clemson’s defense hoped it would, using the mismatch on Miller that ended with a loss of yardage in Iowa State’s 20-13 loss to the Tigers that day.

“It was a bad deal,” Miller said.

Miller, now a senior, has grown a great deal since that game. He is part of an offensive line that is expected to be a much-improved group in 2024. Miller is once again expected to play a major role.

“We have guys playing multiple positions,” said Iowa State offensive line coach and run-game coordinator Ryan Clanton. “We have guys playing with confidence. We have a group in the O-line room that loves and respects each other.”

Miller, a 6-foot-9, 335-pound lineman from Scranton, is one of those guys with versatility and confidence. It stems from what has already turned into a long and successful career. After redshirting his first season in Ames, Miller played in four games in 2021, primarily on special teams.

The three-star recruit out of high school was thrown into the deep end for Iowa State's postseason game against Clemson that season. He credits the extra time preparing for the bowl game and the leadership of veterans Trevor Downing, Colin Newell and Derek Schweiger for helping him make the transition.

"It was definitely a little nerve-racking at first," Miller said. "But usually once you get the first play in, you're good. But having those guys helped."

Even their assistance couldn't help Miller in his humbling play that he says coaches ended up joking with him about. That moment is a reminder of how far he’s come. His biggest strides have come with his confidence.

“I’ve played a decent amount of football now and I have a better understanding of the game of football itself, defenses in general and having all that knowledge towards what you need to do and what we’re doing,” Miller said.

It’s helped over the years as Iowa State’s offensive line has been in a constant stage of growth. Miller played in 12 games in 2022 and made 10 starts at left tackle, helping the Cyclones' offense average 261.8 passing yards per game, the third-best mark in school history. Last season, he started all 13 games at right tackle and was part of a line that saw the Cyclones break the single-season record for passing yards and the single-game mark for rushing yards.

“I think you can even watch the games as the year progresses, our O-line entirely, the first couple we were just here and then throughout the year and then as the year went on, we really progressed and you could definitely tell on film that we got more comfortable playing with each other and for coach Clan,” Miller said.

Clanton has said he isn't afraid to play anyone, regardless of their age. That leaves the door open for some of Iowa State's young linemen to get opportunities. They'll be looking to Miller for guidance like he once received from some of the older players leading up to the Cheez-It Bowl.

He believes they're already headed in the right direction after making massive improvements late last season.

"Our confidence levels really grew," Miller said.

Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State's Tyler Miller has come a long way since his first start