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2013 Georgia State Football
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HEAD COACH
FOOTBALL STAFF
MVFC in 1987 as well as the highest in
the Trent Miles era.
The highlight of the 2012 season
was the Sycamores’ 17-14 road victory
at No. 1-ranked North Dakota State, the
defending FCS champion.
“I am extremely honored and excited
to be the new head football coach at
Georgia State University,” Miles said. “We
are committed to building this program
into one that competes for championships
on the field and in the classroom. We
will strive to represent our student body,
alumni and the state of Georgia with
character and integrity.
“We look forward to building upon
what Coach Bill Curry has started,” Miles
continued. “He is truly a legend in this
profession, and his efforts are greatly
appreciated. We are ready and focused
to begin the process of taking Panther
Football to the next level.”
The last two seasons, Miles’ program
featured one of the top players in the FCS
ranks in running back Shakir Bell. A first-
team All-American as a sophomore in
2011, Bell led the nation in rushing with
151.8 yards per game and tied for second
in voting for the Walter Payton Award as
the top player in the FCS. Bell was one of
two first-team All-Americans who Miles
coached in 2011 as defensive end Ben
Obaseki was also named to the Associated
Press first team. They were the first two
AP first-team All-Americans in school
history.
In 2012, Bell ranked sixth nationally
in rushing (134.1 ypg) and again earned
All-America accolades from AP (third
team) and The Sports Network (second
team). Cornerback Johnny Towalid was
also recognized as an All-American by AP
(second team) and The Sports Network
(third team).
Indiana State led the MVFC in the
number of all-conference selections in
both 2011 (13) and 2012 (14).
Miles achieved success in 2010 with a
prolific offense that ranked in the top 15
nationally in scoring with 31.2 yards per
game, while his 2012 squad was built on a
defense that finished third in the nation in
points allowed (14.3 pg) and fifth in total
defense (296.4 ypg).
Among the many notable
accomplishments by Indiana State
under Miles the last three seasons is the
Sycamores’ 44-16 victory over Western
Kentucky in 2011, the program’s first win
over an FBS opponent since 2001. That
2011 Sycamore squad spent eight weeks in
the national FCS polls, climbing to No. 16
in the nation.
Throughout his career, Miles has
coached on both sides of the ball and
possesses more than 20 years of college
coaching experience as well as one year as
a National Football League assistant with
the Green Bay Packers. As an offensive
assistant for the Packers in 2000, Miles
worked with wide receivers and quality
control. He coached NFL All-Pro receiver
Antonio Freeman.
In the seven years following at
Stanford (wide receivers, 2001), Notre
Dame (wide receivers, 2002-04) and
Washington (running backs, 2005-07),
Miles also coached and developed many
talented skill players. Among his pupils
were Stanford’s Teyo Johnson, a second-
round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders
in 2003, Notre Dame’s Maurice Stovall
and Arnaz Battle, both of whom went
on to the NFL, Jeff Samardzija, an All-
Miles was named AFCA
Region Coach of the Year
in two of the last three
seasons and was a finalist
for several national
coaching honors in 2010.
