Brandon Miller promoted as new Butler head coach

It didn't take long for Butler University's athletics director Barry Collier to make his decision on who will replace Brad Stevens as head coach. Stevens was announced as the new head coach of the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, completely shocking the college basketball and world of sports with his decision.

Former Bulldog guard Brandon Miller has officially been promoted and
named the next men's head basketball coach of the Butler Bulldogs as of today, July 6th, at a mid-afternoon press conference at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Miller played a key role as a starting guard and was the leading scorer (11.9 points) on a 27-6 Butler squad that made a magical NCAA Tournament run to the Sweet 16 in 2003.

Following graduation at Butler, Miller joined former Butler head coach Thad Matta at Xavier during the 2003-04 season, starting out as the Musketeers' video intern. Two years later, he was brought on Matta's staff at Ohio State for the next six seasons from 2006-2012 as an assistant coach (3 years), director of basketball operations (2 years) and video coordinator (one year). While on Matta's staff, the Buckeyes grabbed four Big Ten crowns, made three Sweet 16's and a trip to the 2007 national championship game.

Soon after Butler's exit last season of the NCAA Tournament's third-round, Miller was brought in to be a part of Brad Stevens' staff as an assistant coach. He got his first opportunity to coach under Stevens during the 2007-08 season, when the Bulldogs finished with a remarkable 30-4 record.

 He spent the 2012-13 season as a special assistant at Illinois to head coach John Groce before accepting an assistant coaching position at Butler in April.

As a player, Brandon Miller achieved many accolades in his three-year career on the court as a Bulldog. After transferring to Butler from Southwest Missouri State, he was forced to sit out a year by NCAA rules. From 2000-03, Miller started 97 consecutive games and became one of just eight Butler players to score more than 1,000 career points in just three seasons. Probably his most distinguished award as a player, Brandon received the 2003 Chip Hilton Award, which sums up what would be college basketball's national mental attitude award.

A New Castle, Indiana native, Miller is proud to take over the storied program that he's helped build from the beginning of this great Butler basketball story. He brings back to Butler his wife Holly and their two young sons Michael and Mason.

Many probably hit the panic button as soon as Brad Stevens left to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics. Fear not Butler Bulldog faithful. Brandon Miller will take off right from where Brad Stevens left. The recruits are staying with their commitments to Butler University and the men's basketball program as originally promised.

Miller still has to put his staff together, but at this point in time, it looks like current assistants Terry Johnson and Michael Lewis will stay put on Miller's bench.