Defensive end Camron Miller is determined to prove the doubters wrong

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois defensive end Camron Miller’s football career has been filled with stops and starts, but he believes he’s finally in a place to become a major factor for the Salukis.

In high school, a host of factors limited the Houston, Texas native to playing only his senior year at Dulles High School. He had two season-ending injuries, and off the field, he lost his step-father, causing him to fall behind academically.

After graduation, Miller’s mom was diagnosed with leukemia, and so he took a year off from football to get a job and support his family. His mom has since recovered, and she has been a motivating factor in supporting Miller to chase his football dreams.

After transferring to SIU a year ago, Miller played 147 snaps for the Salukis in 2025 with 10 tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss. He’s preparing to take on an even bigger role in 2026. Miller said he’s been doubted his entire football career, but he’s determined to prove the doubters wrong.

StrongDawgs Interview with Camron Miller

DE Camron Miller

SD: Tell me about your stepdad and losing him when you were 15.

CM: He had raised me since I was two and was a real father-figure for me. I had the utmost respect for him and looked up to him. He's the one who put me into football when I was young.

He worked as a cast technician at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. He was just working one day, and he said he could feel his heart pounding. He had a stroke and ended up in the hospital for a couple days, and when we went to see him, he was hooked up to tubes. On the fifth day, after we left, my mama told us that our father had passed away.

It took a toll on all of us — mom, me, my three brothers, but we had to see the bigger picture and remember that he wanted us to be great. He wanted us to become men and earn respect.

SD: Why did you only play one year of football in high school?

CM: It was a lot of things. I was on varsity my freshman year and I hurt my wrist. I came back the next year after pops died, and I'm ineligible. Then I came back the next year and messed up my elbow. For three years, I was either injured or ineligible. A lot of things took tolls on me. I'm not even playing the sport I love. A lot of people doubted me. Cam, are you going to be eligible this year? That's why I say, you just have to keep putting your front foot forward and keep going. I came back my last year and ended up making all-state, all-conference.

SD: What lessons did you learn from your situation?

CM: I only played one year of high school football and I ended up making it this far (to SIU). You could be in the worst position, you could have done the worst things, and just know that God will always forgive you. I let God take over my life and change it for the better. Just let God in, let God take over. It's never too late.

SD: You took a year off between high school and junior college?

CM: Yes, I had to step up and be a man for my family. My mom was sick with leukemia. I had to stay back and help with the bills. I was working at General Plastics in a warehouse job, working 6-to-6. I prayed to God that He would get her through that.

Miller with his mom, step-dad and three brothers.

SD: Were you still think about playing football?

CM: Playing football was still in the back of my mind. One day I just woke up with the realization that I'm making great bread, but do I want to actually do something that I love? My mom was getting better, and she said, “you helped me get back on my feet, and I’m gonna be good, so now let me help you.” At my juco, there was no food or housing paid for, and she had my back.

SD: After a year off from football, how long did it take to get back up to speed?

CM: It’s hard to explain, but it’s like that player's mentality. I still felt that I was the man, I was the guy. But since I took a year off from training, it held me back, and technique-wise, I could have been better.

SD: What brought you to SIU?

CM: After talking with Coach (Darius) Davis, I felt that he could help me become a better player and person. I just felt like it was the right place to come.

SD: How big of an adjustment was playing Division I football?

CM: The culture here is much different, with the guys wanting to buy-in. It just felt like home and felt like a family. I remember my first day here. We get to running and I’m so gassed, and I just remember telling myself, keep fighting, you can get through this. Everybody was just pushing me like, Cam, I know you're not used to it, but you can do it. I knew everybody and the staff just wanted the best for me. I just put my head down and kept grinding.

SD: You’ve bulked up since you arrived. How important has (strength coach) Meade Smith been in your development?

CM: I love Meade, man. I love how he brings that energy and he wants the best for everybody. He doesn't let one person get away with anything. He's constantly on you, and it's not to be just pestering you, it’s to make you better. He sees the future goals for all the players and where he can get us. He just wants you to be great.  He’s always been on me, like big-brother love, tough love.

Miller with his mom, Chantae

SD: How has Coach Davis impacted your development?

CM: Ever since I got here, he’s just helped me with everything, not just football things, but life lessons, too. Getting to know Coach Davis as a person and a man, he’s just a genuine, stand-up guy.

I hadn't played in a four-down front when I first got here. I played in a three-down out front. The things he teaches me with technique and body positioning, just makes your job easier. He always preaches, don't make it harder than what it is. It's already hard playing football, so don't make it even harder by doing the wrong techniques.

SD: Tell me about your brothers on the D-line.

CM: I’ve never been so close with any group my whole life. It felt like it was a family on my visit. Bernadin (Fluerima Jr.) took me out. I met all the guys on my first day on my visit. I took a lot of visits, and there wasn't one visit where I felt like I was just truly on the team. We were chilling, talking football, talking life, and then you get to the season and it's even better.

Like I said, football is hard. There are days where you need your teammates to make your day better. You come in at six in the morning and you’re tired, and your teammates say, “Come on, Cam. I'm tired too, but we're gonna make it through today.” Those are the things that really build friendships and relationships. I just love how we all treat each other like a family.

We’d watch film 100 times in there and then we’d still go hang out with each other and watch more film. On the weekends, we're all together hanging out with each other. No one makes us do it.

SD: You're not the new guy anymore. As your role changes, how do you continue to maintain that family-type atmosphere?

CM: Basically, just keeping everything that those senior guys like Peyton (Reeves), Caden (Reeves), Bern, Noah Friedt, Ryan Chandley instilled in us. We’re showing the younger guys that this is the culture that we need and just settle for no less. I just want to keep that tradition and try to get it even better than what it was last year. That's all we strive for — getting better.

SD: How much motivation is there after a season where you barely missed the playoffs and had some tough losses?

CM: We're just keeping that chip on our shoulder. We know how close we were, and when we get to this position again, we're never going to let it slip through our hands. During the off season, we’re really putting that work in. These are the good times that you need to be training and getting your body right, because in fall, it's gonna all show up.

SD: Earlier, you mentioned being doubted. What do you say to the doubters now?

CM: I feel like all my life I've been doubted, and that's what fueled me so much. When everybody doubts me, that's when I have to show you. People are not gonna believe in you, but it's not their job to believe in you. It starts with you first. You have to believe in yourself more than anybody else can believe in you. They can't see your visions. They can't see what you have in store for yourself. You can't tell me, Tom, that I can't make it to the NFL. It has to be in you before anybody else ever believes in it. That's the kind of thing that I want to give to the younger guys. Everybody's story is different, and that's what you have to cherish. Your story being different is what makes you, you.

SD: What do you have in mind for your career after football?

CM: So I'm a business guy and I always talk about starting businesses. I like real estate. My step-pop was into real estate. He owned stores like Papa John’s. So I’d like to follow in his footsteps.