Christen Miller called the 2024 season "a testimony of my faith."
The redshirt sophomore defensive lineman came into the year poised for a bigger role up front. Instead, he battled injury and missed Georgia's home win over Georgia Tech and the SEC Championship Game win over Texas.
Now, Miller has announced that he will be back in 2025 as a veteran leader for the Bulldog defensive line.
"It's really been a testimony of my faith," Miller said. "There was a lot of good players that came in before me and that 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."
Miller admitted he has matured a great deal since arriving at Georgia as part of the 2022 class. He felt his hard work would eventually pay off as he sat and waited his turn.
Even when 2024 didn't go as planned, he kept the same mindset.
"I would be lying if I said I've been frustrated. I haven't really been frustrated, honestly," Miller said. "I questioned myself when it happened, but that went out my mind. I'm a believer of faith, so it's like, I ain't gonna lie, I've just been blessed. Me being a kid from where I'm from, I never thought I'd be in this position. So since having the year that I have and those 10 games that I did play in, it's like I was just blessed to be able to play in those games."
As a defensive lineman, Miller is part of one of the most connected groups on Georgia's team. He called teammates such as Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson "vital" in keeping him in the right headspace throughout 2024.
Now stepping into those veteran shoes, Miller knows how important camaraderie is to the unit's success. He also plans to act as an example to younger players such as Jordan Hall, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Xzavier McLeod, and the incoming freshmen.
"Just being me, just doing the right things at the right times," Miller said. "Just showing 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."
