Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-26vs San José State | 15 | 63 | 4.2 | 1 | 9 | |
| Wk 1 | W 39-0vs Fresno State | 15 | 45 | 3.0 | 0 | 10 | |
| Wk 2 | W 49-30vs Louisiana | 18 | 128 | 7.1 | 1 | 29 | Season-high 128 yds |
| Total | 48 | 236 | 4.8 | 2 | 29 |
#8
King Miller
Sophomore running back for USC. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 225 lb · Calabasas, CA · Calabasas HS
CFB Index 70 · #40 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceWatch-list name (model)Returning to USC for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
236
rushing yards · 2026
2 TD · 4.9 per carry · 2 catches
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 128 rush yds, 1 TD, vs Louisiana
Swing playSwung USC from 38% to 67% to win.USC at Nebraska · 21-17
His career numbers, season by seasonHow he plays
Just keeps getting the ball, series after series.
EPA / carry: 75th percentile.
The full scouting readAura™ · Him Watch
Hype = tape
-2aura tax
Fans rank this player in the 69th percentile of RBs; the tape says
72nd pctl our rushing-value metric (wEPA) RBs · 140 qualified, n=51
— the discourse is fair.Aura — fan perception69th pctl
Production — on-field72nd pctl
n=51 mentions · cohort: RBs · 140 qualified · perception = conversation volume, production = our rushing-value metric (wEPA)
Buzz vs Tape
Fans warmer than rivals
His own fans are far more bullish than the rival fanbase.
28.9own fans
-19.2rival fans
Also worth knowing:
King Miller
Just keeps getting the ball, series after series. He has spent two seasons in the USC backfield. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: Big Ten Freshman Player of the Week. The receipt on tape: 128 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Louisiana, Week 2, 2026.
236 RUSH YDS · 2 RUSH TD · 48 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
USC
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎓
FRESHMAN HONORS
Freshman recognition (2025)
1 mention(s)
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Lincoln Riley — 12-4 over that span.
2025USC9-4HC: Lincoln Riley · Balanced
2026USC3-0HC: Lincoln Riley · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score + play-by-play EPA percentiles
High confidence
Elite: carries (80th percentile). Concern: explosive rate (14th percentile).
Real play-by-play efficiency
Box-score rates (7)
Season trend
Last seasonThis season
EPA / carry
47th → 75th percentile
Success rate
32nd → 75th percentile
Explosive rate
81st → 14th percentile
Yards / carry
85th → 54th percentile
TD rate
35th → 54th percentile
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season. Most bars are box-score rates; EPA / success-rate bars are computed from real play-by-play (offense only — no defensive EPA model exists yet).
Splits & context
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 78.7 | 4.8 | 0.7 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 78.7 | 4.8 | 0.7 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lincoln Riley
Pass share
46.0%
97 pass / 114 run
Plays / game
70.3
3 games
Team sack rate
2.0%
102 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Watch-list name (model)
Our Heisman model has him inside the top 25; he is not on a published award watch list yet.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #8 of 44 Big Ten RBs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–30
vs Louisiana
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Louisiana · 2&4 · Q4 · EPA +2.41(07:36) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush left for 12 yards gain to the UL00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 07:30, 1ST DOWN #45 C.Chittenden kick attempt good (H: #35 L.Carrigan, LS: #53 L.Brown)
- Week 2 · Louisiana · 3&1 · Q1 · EPA +2.00(09:46) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush middle for 13 yards gain to the UL45 (#35 C.Jacob), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Louisiana · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +1.98(10:15) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush left for 29 yards gain to the UL32 (#21 M.Eleam), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Fresno State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -1.88(02:23) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush middle for 5 yards loss to the FST44 (#6 J.Jacks)
- Week 1 · San José State · 1&4 · Q2 · EPA +1.69(00:35) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush right for 4 yards gain to the SJS00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:30 #45 C.Chittenden kick attempt good (H: #35 L.Carrigan, LS: #53 L.Brown)
- Week 1 · San José State · 4&1 · Q1 · EPA +1.53(01:39) Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush left for 3 yards gain to the SJS31 (#48 D.Roney), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Louisiana · 2&7 · Q4 · EPA +1.52(10:52) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush left for 11 yards gain to the USC39 (#8 K.Jackson), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Louisiana · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.24(08:06) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush left for 13 yards gain to the USC44 (#24 L.Bates), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Fresno State · 2&6 · Q3 · EPA +1.10(11:30) No Huddle-Shotgun #14 J.Maiava pass complete short left to #8 K.Miller caught at USC44, for 6 yards to the USC49 (#1 K.Thunderbird; #8 M.Owusu), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Louisiana · 2&7 · Q1 · EPA +1.05(14:21) No Huddle-Shotgun #8 K.Miller rush right for 7 yards gain to the USC33 (#21 M.Eleam), 1ST DOWN
Game log
Game by game
King Miller's 2026 production
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
How he plays
Play style
Built to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
USC
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · USC
Returning around him
- 59% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 3 USC players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -13 net (9 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
USC · Last season: 9-4 (AP #16) · Talent rank #9 · 2026 recruiting class #1
DNA match
Player DNA
Workhorse
Built to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value.
RB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Cole Fagan’s 2018 season.
83%match
Matches Cole on
Receiving share
Rush TD rate
Yards / carry
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to British Brooks’s path through North Carolina.
92%match
Matches British on
Weight
Yards per carry
Height
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Tyler Jefferson's sophomore season at Central Michigan (2024).
84%match
Matches Tyler on
Class year
EPA / carry (adj)
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Differs from Tyler on
Rush TD rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like King Miller
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #72
Peaked at #72 this season.
Background
2026: Miller, who broke onto the scene and earned national recognition as USC’s showcase back after injuries plagued the running back room, returns as a redshirt sophomore in 2026. He was placed on scholarship following the 2025 season. 2025: Miller had a stellar debut in 2025 and made national h...
The backfield · USC
- #8King Miller972 rushing yards · 2025
- #2Waymond Jordan576 rushing yards · 2025
- #27Riley Wormley18 rushing yards · 2025
- #41Cian McKelvey4 rushing yards · 2025
- #6Deshonne Redeaux2 games · 2026
3 more on the roster · USC team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology