April 15, 2026
‘Being part of something bigger’: Brooks Miller emphasizes trust and communication as new head coach for Ferris State men’s basketball
Brooks Miller is grateful to be the 15th head coach for the Ferris State University men’s basketball program and eager to incorporate his own brand of basketball that comes with decades of experience and accolades.
“Gratitude: one of the things we want to teach our young men here is gratitude. … To have this responsibility as the head men’s basketball coach at Ferris State following the previous legends, it is an absolute honor for my family to be a part of,” Miller said.
Miller most recently served as the associate head coach at Central Michigan University and previously led Trine University to the 2024 NCAA Division III National Championship, where he was also named as the two-time NCAA DIII National Coach of the Year. His coaching experience at all levels of the NCAA and junior college ranks also afforded him the opportunity to work under four coaches who have won national championships.
Ferris State Athletics Director Steve Brockelbank noted that Miller’s genuine demeanor to want to bring his knowledge and skillset to ‘Bulldog Country’ made it easy to select him to fulfill a big role during the program’s transition period.
“At the end of the day, we got a good one. I said to Brooks early on that like many institutions we have some challenges but not challenges that will deter you from winning at a championship level. That’s why we win, and can at a high level,” Brockelbank said.
“The beauty about Ferris State is that we aren’t in the business of developing head coaches. We’re fortunate in that standpoint. You look at all our coaches; they were successful before they got here. Now looking at Coach Miller: successful before he got here. … We have built a tradition and program here that attracts top tier candidates and coaches, and that’s exactly what we have in Coach Miller.”
Miller’s coaching experience speaks for itself, but what also likely made him stand out as the potential new skipper for Ferris State men’s basketball is being a fan of Bulldog athletics for nearly two decades.
When the opportunity became available to take over as the new head coach, Miller knew the decision was an easy one to make, especially considering the resources and support that Ferris State Athletics administrators provide for each program to make the student-athletes successful in their respective sports and in the classroom.
“The most important part of a basketball program are the players sitting in front of me. We’re going to need everyone in administration and beyond to raise our success level – that’s how we’re going to get them (student-athletes) to where they need to be,” he said.
Miller’s ties to Ferris State basketball and the university were also a huge factor in his decision to join the Bulldogs, having coached with or played for former head coaches Bill Sall and Andy Bronkema in addition to Ed Douma, who served on the Bulldog staff as an assistant coach under Sall.
Ferris State President Pink, Brooks Miller, and Athletics Director Steve Brockelbank standing with a men's hoops jersey during Miller's introductory press conference on Apr. 15.
Just a few days after his announcement of being at the helm of the program, Miller immediately began working to maintain his current roster of standout Bulldogs and influencing active portal players to sign with his squad. He noted that his coaching habits will be primarily based on trust and communication, and emphasis to be passionate about getting better each day.
“When it comes to putting a team together, and watching these individuals achieve things they never could have imagined about themselves- it’s the most gratifying thing to me in this world. I want the young men that play for us to be people that me, my family, and others can look up to,” he said.
The new era of college sports is primarily influenced by NIL deals for student athletes. However, coaches have increasingly become more susceptible to the carousel that is finding the “right” head coach for a program eager to win titles.
Considering Miller won as a head coach and served under champion coaches, he likely could have thrown his hat into the candidate pool for an NCAA DI program. However, he knew Big Rapids was the correct step forward in his journey.
“Ferris State had everything that my family needed to grow, because we wanted a home most of all. It’s a great thing to know we’re going to be part of something bigger than us,” he said.
Consistency is also a central theme in the Miller era, as he noted it’s importance during the best and worst moments of a season, as it tends to lead to winning championships. What separates good coaches from great ones are those who are also willing to lead during the hardships, and keep their players bought into the mission of being winners on and off the court.
“We’ve had some good talks already to understand the expectation is to come every day and help each other be better. How can we recognize where are weaknesses are as individuals and fill in those gaps,” Miller said. “Our job as a staff is to make sure each day what these student-athletes’ roles are throughout the season. … Those role definitions aren’t just on the floor, but what we talk about and praise daily.”
Winning titles is something Ferris State President Bill Pink and the athletic administration believe will return to the men’s basketball program under Miller’s leadership.
“The decision to hire Miller is something that we will stand by for years to come because of what he brings to our Bulldog family, our community, and to our basketball team. Of course you have pressure to win, we want GLIAC and national championships,” Pink said, lightheartedly.
“We are excited to see what you can do, and we want to see success. But the success we’re most looking for is bringing in more young men to this institution who are focused on being great student-athletes, who eventually become Bulldogs that are out making the world a better place,” he added.
As a husband, father, and strong believer in his faith, Miller is now poised to lead the Ferris State men’s basketball team that is focused on recrowning itself as a top winning program in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, in addition to the NCAA DII landscape.