Now in his fifth year as a collegiate head coach at Indiana State University is Trent Miles. Miles was named the Sycamores’ 23rd head football coach on December 4, 2007.
Under the enthusiastic leadership of coach Miles, the Sycamores enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2010 as the team enjoyed a 6-5 record, a third place finish in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the program's first winning campaign since 1996. The Sycamores followed that up with another 6-5 mark in 2011, giving the program its first consecutive winning seasons since 1995 & 1996.
In 2011, the Sycamores were led by sophomore Shakir Bell who finished tied for second nationally in voting for the Walter Payton Award. Bell was also named to a school-record four First Team All-America squads and earned First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference as well as the MVFC Offensive Player Of The Year honors.
Bell led the nation in rushing with 1,670 total yards and a 151.8 per game average. His 1,670 yards this season broke the school record for single-season rushing yards and rank eighth in league history. Bell also broke the single-game rushing record when he rushed for 256 yards and four touchdowns on 21 carries in ISU's victory over Youngstown State on Sept. 24. Those 256 yards against the Penguins are the 12th highest single-game total in MVFC history. For the year, Bell hit the end zone 14 times.
All told, the Sycamores placed seven team members on the All-MVC First Team, which were the most representatives from one school in the league. Receiving first team selections this season were: Aaron Archie (Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech), Shakir Bell(Indianapolis, Ind. / Warren Central), Alex Jones (Centerville, Ind. / Centerville), Brock Lough (Terre Haute, Ind. / South Vigo), FN Lutz (West Lafayette, Ind. / Lafayette Harrison), Ben Obaseki (Washington, Ind. / Washington) and Alex Sewall (Western Springs, Ill. / Lyons Township).
A trio of Sycamores made both the second team and honorable mention lists as well. Ben Geffert (Griffith, Ind. / Griffith), Lucas Hileman (Anna, Ill. / Anna-Jonesboro) and Jacolby Washington (Deltona, Fla. / Deltona Trinity Christian) were named to the second team with Ronnie Fouch (Redlands, Calif. / Univ. of Washington / Redlands Valley East), Rod Hardy (Indianapolis, Ind. / Pike) and Ryan Roberts (West York, Ill. / Hutsonville) earning honorable mention status.
Additionally, Miles led the Sycamores a 44-16 victory at Western Kentucky on September 17, 2011, marking the program's first victory over a NCAA FBS opponent since the 2001 campaign. The Sycamores gained national attention by spending eight weeks in either The Associated Press or The Sports Network Top 25. ISU's national ranking peaked at No. 16 following the Homecoming victory over Western Illinois.
Miles became the first Sycamore head coach to earn the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Coach Of The Year award in the league's 26-year history in 2010. He is just the second Sycamore coach all-time to earn a league coach of the year honor, as Dennis Raetz earned Missouri Valley Conference Coach Of The Year honors in 1984. Miles was also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach Of The Year Award as well as the Liberty Mutual Coach Of The Year honor.
Individually, the Sycamores had 12 student-athletes honored by the MVFC following the 2010 season on its all-conference honors list. First team selections for Indiana State included RB Darrius Gates, FB Brock Lough, DE Ben Obaseki and DB Alex Sewall. On the second team were TE Alex Jones, OL Pat Burke and LB Jacolby Washington. Earning honorable mention status were LB Aaron Archie, QB Ronnie Fouch, WR Justin Hilton, DB Calvin Burnett and Gates as a return specialist. Indiana State's four first team selections were the most in one season since five were named first team all-conference in 1993. ISU has had four or more first team all-conference selections in just four of its 25 seasons as a member of the MVFC.
The 2010 season became a breakthrough one with a 59-24 victory over league rival Illinois State on Homecoming and continued with a 38-35 overtime victory over Missouri State. The Sycamores got themselves into league title contention by downing South Dakota State by the score of 41-30 at Memorial Stadium after losing to the Jackrabbits by the combined score of 90-9 in the previous two seasons. ISU trailed 23-20 to this year's MVFC Champion Northern Iowa midway through the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium and had the ball nearing the red zone looking to take a late lead when they could not convert a fourth down conversion.
The Sycamores clinched their winning season and improved to 6-4 on the year with a thrilling 30-24 victory at Youngstown State. ISU ended a 36-game road losing streak and earned their first win away from Memorial Stadium since 2004 with the victory over the Penguins. It was also ISU's first conference road victory since the 2002 campaign.
The Sycamore resurgence can be pinpointed on several factors, including a significant improvement to the facilities at Memorial Stadium, including the building of one the top locker room facilities in all of FCS football. ISU also refurbished the press box and added a scoreboard and video replay system to enhance the gameday atmosphere.
As a team, the Sycamore offense was a record setter in 2010. The offense scored 351 points this season which broke the old school record of 319 set in 1992. ISU reached the end zone a total of 48 times, which is also a new school standard. In 2009, the Sycamores scored just 12 touchdowns and tallied 99 points (which were lows all-time for the Sycamores) and transformed themselves in just one season to the best offense in the history of the school. Prior to 2010, no Sycamore offense had scored more than 50 points more than once in any season, but the Sycamores did just that three times.
Indiana State finished 2010 ranked third in the MVFC and 14th nationally by averaging 31.91 points per game and was in the Top 40 in rushing offense, passing offense and total offense as well. The Sycamores averaged 411.8 yards of offense per game, which was fourth in the league and 17th nationally. Individually, Darrius Gates averaged 10.6 points per game, which led the MVFC and was second in the nation.
ISU also had an outstanding defense, tallying a season-best four interceptions and making a pair of fourth quarter red zone stops at Youngstown State to help secure a road league victory. The Sycamores gave up just 184.6 yards per game through the air, which was third in the league and 38th nationally.
Miles earned his first collegiate head coaching victory on October 24, 2009 when the Sycamores downed Western Illinois by the score of 17-14 in the annual Homecoming contest in front of over 6,000 fans. Alumni, community members, ISU faculty and staff as well as a large turnout of students who have been energized by the personable Miles since he arrived on campus came out to Memorial Stadium and willed the Sycamores to victory. After a wild final play, emotions ran high as nearly everyone in the stadium, took to the playing surface to celebrate ISU's first victory in 33 attempts -- a signal that the ISU program is ready to turn the corner in the ultra competitive Missouri Valley Football Conference.
In addition to success on the field, Miles has continued to stress a concentration in the classroom for his student-athletes and the payoff came this past season in the form of senior Daniel Millington being named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team member by the College Sports Information Directors of America. In the MVFC, Millington was a second team all-academic selection while Gabe Mullane joined him on the second team and Alex Sewall was an honorable mention pick.
On the playing field, Aaron Archie was named an All-MVFC Second Team member while Donye McCleskey, Rod Hardy and Darrius Gates were honorable mention selections. Additionally, Archie was named a MVFC All-Newcomer selection.
Indiana State ranked fourth in the MVFC in kickoff return average with a 21.1 ypg average. Additionally, the Sycamores ranked in a tie for first in PAT kicking, hitting all 20 of their attempts. ISU was the third-least penalized team in the MVFC and the Sycamores drew the most opponent penalties in the league. Darrius Gates ranked tops in the conference with a 27.1 return average, while he was total was fifth nationally.
Aaron Archie was second in the league in tackles per game with an average of 10.6 stops per contest. Archie was one of three Sycamores to rank in the Valley's top 10 as Sewall's 8.4 tackles per game average was sixth while Donye McCleskey's 8.3 mark was seventh. Additionally, Archie's tackle average finished 12th in the nation.
In his inaugural season on the job, Miles had three players earn All-Missouri Valley Conference honors as Jayden Everett, Donye McCleskey and Alex Sewall all took Honorable Mention plaudits. Additionally, Larry Carter, Sewall and Ryan Roberts took MVFC All-Newcomer status as well.
Everett recorded 102 total tackles on the season,
which ranked in the nation’s top 20 and was in the top five in the MVFC.
Everett had a key forced fumble and recovery in the season finale against
Missouri State that allowed Indiana State to comeback from down 14-0 to force
overtime. He posted six games in which he recorded double digit tackles,
including a season-high 18 stops on Homecoming versus South Dakota
State.
Junior Donye McCleskey posted 98 total tackles this
season, including 53 total stops. In the conference opener against Illinois
State, McCleskey was credited with a career-high 17 total tackles. Known as a
big-play defensive threat, McCleskey recovered a fumble and returned it 47 yards
for a touchdown at Youngstown State. Had four games in which he recorded at
least 10 tackles, including 13 against South Dakota State, 11 in the season
finale versus Missouri State, 10 at Western Illinois and the season-best 17
versus the Redbirds.
Freshman Alex Sewall was Indiana State’s top
newcomer on defense with 90 total tackles, including 52 solo stops as he played
in all 12 of the Sycamores’ contests this season. Sewall posted a season-best
nine tackles in five different contests: at Eastern Illinois, at Northern
Illinois, South Dakota State, at North Dakota State and in the season finale
versus Missouri State.
Carter played in 10 games this season and recorded
34 total tackles, including one for a loss and was credited with one half of a
sack. He broke up four passes this season and recovered one fumble at Southern
Illinois. In the conference opener against Illinois State he posted a team-high
eight tackles.
Freshman Ryan Roberts played in all 12 games this
year, including the final six as the Sycamore quarterback after playing the
first six games on the defensive side of the ball. He completed 39-of-84 passes
for 294 yards, including a long of 20 yards. Roberts was strong on the ground
with 107 rushes for 194 yards, plus three rushing touchdowns. On the defensive
side of the ball, Roberts was credited with nine total tackles. He posted a
season-high 59 rushing yards at Youngstown State and was 15-of-24 for 124 yards
passing against South Dakota State.
Running a well-rounded program is an important concept for Miles as evidenced by a trio of Sycamores being named to the MVFC All-Academic squad. Those Sycamores making the
second team were tight end Josh Jones and punter Gabe Mullane while offensive
lineman Jack Byrne was an honorable mention
selection.
Jones, who holds 3.92 GPA in Exercise Science, was
the Sycamores' top pass catching tight end as he hauled in 11 passes for 83
yards, an average of 7.5 yards per catch. Jones also was credited with one rush
and a pair of kickoff returns during the season.
Mullane, who holds a 3.93 GPA in Physical
Education, punted 82 times on the year for a total of 2,948 yards. He averaged
36.0 yards per kick and recorded a long punt of 66 yards. Mullane only had two
touchbacks in 82 punts and forced 10 fair catches. He was able to pin the
opposition inside their own 20-yard line a total of 17 times and recorded six
punts of 50 yards or more.
Byrne, who holds a 3.15 GPA in Business, played and
started in all 12 games for the Sycamores at the center position. The Sycamore
offense gained 1,539 yards on the ground and reached the end zone eight times.
Byrne was the leader of a team which also had 881 yards through the air and
reached the end zone through the air three times.
The ISU Football team is also very involved in community service, including working tirelessly across the Wabash Valley in June of 2008 helping victims of the floods in the area. The football players at ISU also are committed to teaching young children how to read and visiting with local hospitals to help children that are ill.
Miles is a native of Terre Haute, Ind., and is a 1987 graduate of Indiana State. Miles was a wide receiver at Indiana State from 1982-86, where his 1983 and 1984 squads each won nine games and advanced to the NCAA FCS playoffs. The 1984 Sycamores were ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the season. That team was inducted into the Indiana State University Hall of Fame on Sept. 7, 2002.
Prior to coming to Indiana State, Miles completed his third season as the Washington running backs coach in 2007 after having spent the previous three years on Tyrone Willingham’s staff at Notre Dame as the wide receivers coach.
In 2007, Husky running back Louis Rankin rushed for 1,294 yards, becoming the first Washington player to tally a 1,000-yard rushing season since 1997.
While at Notre Dame, he mentored future NFL standouts Maurice Stovall, Rhema McKnight and Arnaz Battle, as well as Jeff Samardzija, who is now playing professional baseball in the Chicago Cubs organization.
Prior to coaching at Notre Dame, Miles worked under Willingham for one year at Stanford. That season Miles had the opportunity to coach some of the nation’s finest receivers including Luke Powell (whose 22.3-yard average per catch set a school record) and Teyo Johnson (the 2001 Pacific-10 Co-Freshman of the Year and a second-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2003).
Miles spent the 2000 campaign with the Green Bay Packers as an offensive assistant, working with the wide receivers and as a quality control coach. During his tenure with the Packers, he coached NFL all-pro receiver Antonio Freeman.
Miles has 20 years of coaching experience on the collegiate level. He was the wide receivers coach at Fresno State for three years (1997-99), producing some of the greatest receivers in Bulldogs’ history. In 1999, two of his receivers, Rodney Wright and Charles Smith, combined to produce more than 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns on 120 receptions. Their production helped the Bulldogs to a share of the Western Athletic Conference championship and a berth in the Las Vegas Bowl. He also recruited and coached Bernard Barien of the Minnesota Vikings.
Throughout his career, Miles has coached on both sides of the ball including wide receivers, defensive backs and linebackers. Miles began his coaching career at Indiana State in 1987, tutoring the wide receivers and defensive backs as a graduate assistant. Another graduate assistant position followed at New Mexico (1988-89), where he worked with the receivers and linebackers. Miles then moved on to Oklahoma in 1990, working with the wide receivers as a graduate assistant.
Following four seasons as an assistant at Northern Illinois (1991-93 as receivers coach, 1994 with defensive backs), Miles headed west to Hawaii for two seasons (1995-96), where he spent a season each with the wide receivers and defensive backs.
Ever active in the community, coach Miles is on the Board of Directors for both the Terre Haute Boys & Girls Club as well as United Way of the Wabash Valley.
Miles earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Indiana State in 1987. He was born July 29, 1963, in Terre Haute, Ind. Miles married the former Bridget Hogan on July 10, 2004. They have three daughters, Kaylee, Anna, and Charlie Elizabeth as well as a son Noah Michael.
