TEMPE – Steven Miller, an Arizona State assistant strength coach and former Gilbert High School football standout, died Wednesday, the university confirmed.

Miller, 29, experienced a medical incident recently related to epilepsy.

A 2014 Gilbert High graduate, Miller went on to play offensive line at ASU from 2015 to 2019, starting in 35 games. Following his playing career, he transitioned into coaching, with early stops at Louisiana-Lafayette and Florida.

He returned to Arizona State in 2023 as a graduate assistant working with the offensive line and recently was promoted to assistant strength coach.

Miller was widely regarded as a positive and impactful presence within the program. Current and former players, along with staff members, shared tributes on social media, remembering him for his energy, leadership and relationships within the team.

Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham, who was on staff as an offensive assistant when Miller was a freshman at ASU, wrote “praying for everyone who knew Steve. He had a joy for people that was unmatched and impacted so many lives. We lost a good one.” 

Former ASU cornerback and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Chase Lucas said, “Was just with you last week and now you gone… luv you bro. Look out for us down here.”

Former linebacker and teammate Kyle Soelle added, “Great teammate and even better person. Prayers to his family.”

Former defensive lineman Justin Wodtly, who is set to graduate from ASU in May, called Miller the “most genuine guy in the program” and a “team first guy,” while former running back Demario Richard, another teammate of Miller’s, wrote, “Lil bro you just broke my heart… We raised you. Watched you grow… Most of all, thank you.”

Arizona State has not released additional details.

This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.