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Auburn running back Malik Miller will not take the field with the Tigers if and when the 2020 football season begins.
A team spokesperson confirmed Miller’s departure from the program to the Advertiser on Tuesday. The Huntsville native closes his career at Auburn amassing 91 carries for 314 yards and 5 touchdowns.
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Miller has been at Auburn for four seasons now due to a medical redshirt in 2016. He never recorded more than nine carries in a single game over his career and didn’t carry the ball more than five times in a contest in 2019.
But according to what Miller told the Advertiser in October of 2018, he embraced his part-time and situational role with the Tigers:
“Whatever puts me on the field, I embrace it. I know that. I’m a football player,” he said. “I love playing football. So, whatever puts me on the field so I can help the team, I’m going to embrace that and I’m going to do the best I can at it.”
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His decision comes in light of a deep Auburn backfield that features veterans Shaun Shivers, D.J. Williams, Harold Joiner and Mark-Antony Richards. The Tigers also signed 4-star running back Tank Bigsby in the offseason, who will have an opportunity to carve out perhaps a significant role in 2020 considering Auburn’s historical use of highly-touted freshmen backs.
This will mark third back that Auburn has lost either to graduation (Kam Martin), the transfer portal (JaTarvious Whitlow) or otherwise since the end of last season. Whitlow, who entered the portal in February, compiled 1,550 yards and 16 touchdowns on 256 carries over the past two seasons. This rushing total outpaces the group that remains by almost 600 yards.
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Williams is the team’s leading returning rusher after totaling 400 yards as a true freshman last season.
Neither Miller or the university has disclosed the reason for Miller’s departure, nor the plans he has for the future.
Malik Miller Auburn Tigers
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