Cornerback Dainsus Miller a “Godsend” in Wyoming’s Secondary

LARAMIE -- Dainsus Miller was once a relative unknown.

In fact, he was Plan B.

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Wyoming's staff had its collective sights set on a cornerback from Denver when the NCAA's spring transfer portal window opened. The homework had already been completed. They wanted this unnamed player out of high school, too.

It didn't pan then -- or in April.

But, ultimately, it did.

Miller, who spent the previous two seasons at Mercer, an FCS program in Macon, Georgia, landed right in the Cowboys' lap, inking on the dotted line late in the process. He came highly recommended by his former defensive coordinator Jahmal Brown, who happens to be the cousin of Wyoming's first-year tackles coach Deonte Gibson.

That connection, plus a six-tackle performance in the FCS semifinals against eventual national champion North Dakota State, gave Jay Sawvel the confidence to pull the trigger.

That, turns out, was one of his best decisions of the offseason. And there have proven to be many.

"Dainsus has been great," Wyoming's head coach said. "Dainsus has been better than the guy that we lost (Keany Parks). When you get to the spring portal -- the craziness that was -- it's hard to find equal value on certain things. Dainsus has been really, really good."

The numbers bear that out.

No corner on the roster has been more stingy this fall than Miller. The 5-foot-10, 181-pound Fairburn, Ga., product leads the way with a grade of 74.7, according to Pro Football Focus. He's been targeted 25 times and allowed just 13 receptions for 92 yards. That's an average of 7.1 per grab. He has also allowed just 45 total yards after the catch and broke up four passes.

Most importantly, the senior has yet to give up a touchdown on 411 total defensive snaps.

Miller is also stout in the run game, and one of the more physical defensive backs in recent memory. He has already tallied 21 tackles in eight games and forced a fumble.

Remember that one?

Colorado, holding on to a commanding 28-13 lead late in the third quarter, put the ball in the belly of running back Micah Welch, who broke into the secondary and appeared destined for six. Miller, running from the complete opposite side of the field, caught up with the former high school track star after a 44-yard sprint, jarring the ball loose inside the Cowboys' 5-yard line.

Miller said by the time Wyoming came calling last spring, he was ready for the recruitment process to reach its end. He admittedly didn't know a lot about the place he was committing. The official visit took place. He took a few days to weigh his options. In the end, though, he wanted to find a landing spot where he could close out his collegiate career, especially at the FBS level, where it all started in the first place.

"They took a chance on me, coming here," said Miller, who originally signed with Marshall out of Creekside High School back in 2022. "They were straight up like, shoot, if I'm able to play, they're gonna play me. They're gonna give me a chance. So, I appreciate that."

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His coaches have appreciated what they've seen so far, too.

Benny Boyd called the acquisition a "godsend."

"There's no question," Wyoming's cornerbacks said when asked if Miller could be considered a "steal."

"Nothing against the person who ended up leaving last year in spring ball, but had that person not left, we're not in the market for a corner -- and we upgraded. Again, I don't want to talk negative about people who aren't here, but you put the tape on from last year, the amount of missed tackles, the amount of lack of physicality that we saw just from that one individual, compared to what we have this year, is staggering."

Miller is quiet and unassuming. He barely speaks above a whisper. You want to draw a reaction, though, just bring up tackling.

"Yeah, I'm going to hit you," he said with a smile. "Don't let me catch you."

Miller was forced to helplessly sit and watch as his teammates fell 24-7 at San Diego State in the last outing. While that result certainly wasn't the defense's fault, the former three-star prospect who once fielded offers from Tennessee, Kansas and Pitt, thinks he could've helped.

A broken bone under his left thumb, according to doctors, just couldn't bear the brunt of another game.

The injury happened during practice in the week leading up to the Air Force game. Wyoming's 28-0 blanking of Border War rival Colorado State the following Saturday, one in which Miller finished with a pair of tackles and two pass breakups, was his last opportunity to compete before going under the knife.

"I was mad about that," Miller said. "I thought I'd at least get to play against San Diego State then get surgery after that game. (With the impending bye week) I thought I could finish the season without missing a game. So, yeah, it made me a little mad."

Miller is now back in action, sitting atop the depth chart ahead of the Cowboys' tilt this Saturday night at Fresno State.

He's licking his chops.

"I love his demeanor and how he works," Sawvel added. "He just kind of shuts up and does his business."

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