MURRAY, Ky. -- Murray State has officially announced that Creighton assistant Ryan Miller has signed a four-year contract to be the new Head Men's Basketball Coach. The 49-year-old will be introduced to the public in a press conference inside the Murray Room at the CFSB Center on Thursday, March 27 at noon.
"It is a tremendous honor to have been named the next head coach of the Murray State Racers," Miller said in a press release. "I want to thank Director of Athletics Nico Yantko, University President Dr. Bob Jackson, and all those involved in this process, for putting their faith in me to lead this storied program. The winning tradition set over the last 100 years is a testament to the outstanding people that have poured so much into this team. I am committed to recruiting highly-talented players and staff to return us to those winning ways. My wife, Marna, daughters Melia and Halle, and I are beyond excited to be a part of Racer Nation, and we are ready to get to work."
Miller just concluded in his fourth season as an assistant at Creighton. He's made it to the NCAA Tournament every year, making it as far as the Elite Eight in 2023. This season, the ninth-seeded Bluejays were eliminated in the Round of 32 by top-seeded Auburn.
He's set to make $450,000 per year, to go along with $175,000 for media participation. In total, Miller will make $625,000 per year plus other bonuses through the contract. He is signed through 2029, with an automatic one-year extension if he is still employed in 2026. He will earn an automatic extension in the following years if the team wins a Missouri Valley Conference regular season Title or makes it to the NCAA Tournament.
Should he leave for another school during his contract, he is set to have a $1.5 million buyout if he leaves before April 10, 2026. That number drops to $1 million if he leaves between April 11, 2026 and April 10, 2027, $500,000 if he leaves between Apr. 11, 2027 and Apr. 10, 2028, and $250,000 if he leaves between Apr. 11, 2028 and March 1, 2029.
Miller is credited as being the lead recruiter and top assistant on Creighton's staff, securing two top-20 recruiting classes over the past four seasons under head coach Greg McDermott.
"I just want to congratulate Murray State on an outstanding hire," McDermott said in a social media post. "Ryan Miller has been such a big part of our success during his tenure at Creighton. I'm not sure what I'm going to do without him, but I can tell you that Murray State got a great coach and a great man and he's going to bring you back to winning ways real soon."
The hire is the latest of notable names to become a head coach after being an assistant under McDermott, a list that includes Iowa State coach TJ Otzelberger, former Drake and current West Virginia coach Darian DeVries, and Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobsen.
Ryan is the brother of 17-year NBA veteran and two-time NBA Champion Mike Miller. Mike now runs Lift Sports Management, which is an agency that currently represents Murray State Hall of Famer and two-time NBA All-Star Ja Morant.
While Mike was playing in Memphis as a member of the Grizzlies, Ryan got his coaching start at the University of Memphis as an assistant Director of Basketball Operations under then-Tigers head coach John Calipari.
Prior to Creighton, Miller had stops at TCU, UNLV, Auburn, New Mexico, Pepperdine and Memphis.
Miller helped TCU improve from 12 wins to 24 in his first season there in 2017, sparked by the arrival of future NBA First Round draft pick Desmond Bane.
"We knew our next leader of the Racers needed to be someone who can evaluate and develop talent, is a proven winner, is a relentless recruiter and can build positive relationships. Coach Miller has proven throughout his career that he can accomplish each of those objectives at an elite level, and that is why he is our new Murray State men's basketball head coach," Murray State Athletic Director Nico Yantko said. "He is a nationally-renowned recruiter and coach. His fiery competitiveness and infectious personality make him the perfect leader to guide us toward competing for and winning championships. We will support him as he continues to cement Murray State as one of the premiere basketball programs in the nation. We are excited to welcome Coach Miller, his wife Marna, and their daughters Melia and Halle, to the Racer Family."
Miller's arrival comes six days after Murray State fired Steve Prohm following the Racers' MVC Quarterfinal loss to Bradley. Prohm finished his second Murray State tenure 45-52, 29-31 in Missouri Valley Conference play in three seasons as head coach.
Miller will have work to do with the transfer portal opening on March 24 and the Racers graduating most of their production.
The Racers, entering their fourth season in the MVC, are coming off back-to-back losing seasons, the first time the program has done that since 1979. Miller is 17th different head coach in Murray State history (18th including Prohm's two separate runs).
Cover photo courtesy Creighton athletics
