Former long-time Tustin coach Myron Miller a special guest at Laguna Beach’s regional final

Laguna Beach Coach John Shanahan (left) with former Tustin Coach Myron Miller before Saturday’s regional. (Photo: Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone).

Former long-time Tustin High School football coach Myron Miller was a guest of Laguna Beach Coach John Shanahan during the CIF State Regional 4A Bowl Game Saturday between Laguna Beach and Granada Hills.

Miller, 78, talked with OC Sports Zone about his 52-year coaching career before the game, which Granada Hills won 56-55 to advance into the state bowl final. Granada Hills has reached the finals without completing a pass this season.

Miller’s Tustin teams were known for a dominating running game.

Miller said he thoroughly enjoyed his coaching career. He is still full of energy and shared some of the highlights from his famed career. One of the main highlights of his career that Miller was most proud of was the fact that six of his former players (Matt McCoy, Frostee Rucker, Chris Chester, Beau Bell, Chris Chelton and DeShaun Foster) reached the NFL, and two of them (Chelton and Foster) played in a Super Bowl. 

“I recently attended DeShaun Foster’s induction into the UCLA Hall of Fame and it was a wonderful experience,” said Miller. “DeShaun was such a great player at every level.”

Miller said the most exciting game he ever coached was the 1997 CIF championship game between Tustin and Santa Margarita at Cal State Fullerton. 

“I’ll never forget when we (Tustin) played Santa Margarita (and Carson Palmer); it was an unbelievable,” Miller said. “DeShaun played running back and defensive back. Foster rushed for 378 yards and scored six touchdowns and Palmer threw for 418 yards and five TDs and he scored a TD but Santa Margarita won 55-42. That was the best game ever.

“We were  happy with our effort. We never came close to stopping Palmer that night, but Foster is the best football player and running back I’ve ever seen.”

Miller started his coaching career at Compton High School in 1968, then moved to Downey High School, before going to Compton College, Marina High School, Costa Mesa High School, Ramona High School and then onto Tustin High School where he arrived in 1995 until he retired in 2012.

He stayed retired for a few years before returning to Tustin in 2015 thru 2017. He spent the 2018 season at Lakewood High School coaching before retiring a second time. Miller currently lives in Silverado Canyon.

Miller won CIF championships at Ramona in 1989 and Tustin in 2011. His teams also reached the finals four other times but lost.

Miller was born in Pittsburgh, PA and after moving to California, he went to college at Cal State Northridge where he was the captain of the football, wrestling and rugby teams. His health teacher was none other than Dick Enberg, who went on to be a famous sports broadcaster.

—Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone