When Christen Miller spoke to UGASports before the Sugar Bowl, he mentioned the shoulder issue that hampered his game the latter half of the year.

But that wasn’t all. There was more he had to say.

Like most young players, Miller had a lot of growing up to do on and off the field. As the Bulldogs look ahead to spring practice, the Atlanta native can tell he’s a different person.

“Man, it's really been a testimony of my faith,” Miller said. “Just staying down, really. There were a lot of good players that came in before me and I had to sit down and just grow and develop after. But it's been good just knowing that all the work that I've put in is working out.”

The Bulldogs are thrilled that it is.

Last April, Miller placed his name in the NCAA transfer portal before changing his mind.

Per Miller, that decision was born out of frustration over playing time.

After conversations with older teammates like Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson, Miller decided to come back and be the best contributor he could.

“I think I just matured. I just matured. I grew up in a lot of areas. I'm still me. At the end of the day, I'm still going to be me,” Miller said. “But I matured because I just knew, just staying down for the come up, and I knew working hard would pay off.”

Position coach Tray Scott certainly appreciates Miller’s no-excuse mantra.

“We have an excuses poem in our D-line room,” Scott said. “Excuses are tools of the weak and incompetent, used to build monuments of nothing. That’s why they try not to make excuses.”

Miller’s role will be even more prominent this fall.

With Stackhouse, Brinson, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, and Mykel Williams moving on to the NFL, Miller should play a vital role on the defensive line come fall.

“I’m just going to be me, and do the right things at the right times,” Miller said. “I want to show my young guys that anything is possible when you work hard, when you have faith, when you put your head down, when you be a leader. I want to show what can happen when you do that. I'm just blessed to be where I am on this team.”