Creighton Miller, 79; Halfback for Notre Dame

Creighton Miller, a former Notre Dame halfback and member of the College Football Hall of Fame, has died. He was 79.

Miller was found Friday morning by relatives at his apartment in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb. The cause of death was not immediately known. The Cuyahoga County coroner was to perform an autopsy.

Miller played at Notre Dame from 1941 to 1943. He was fourth in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1943, leading the nation with 911 yards rushing and scoring 13 touchdowns as the Fighting Irish won the national championship.

“Without question, he’s one of the all-time greatest running backs at Notre Dame,” said John Heisler, the university’s associate athletic director. “In fact, Frank Leahy called him the best running back he had ever coached.”

Miller’s father, Harry “Red” Miller, was the Irish’s 1908 team captain. Four of his uncles also played at Notre Dame, including Don Miller, one of the fabled Four Horsemen, and Ray T. Miller, who later became mayor of Cleveland.

Miller was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1976. He also was a member of the first Cleveland Browns’ coaching staff in 1946 before going to law school at Yale.

In 1956, he agreed to help National Football League players form a players association. A graduate of Yale Law School, he also practiced law in Cleveland for years.

He is survived by a brother, Thomas of Atlanta; and a sister, Maureen Weigant of Chicago.