SETH — Bill Miller is back on the sidelines for the Sherman Tide, albeit in a limited capacity and as an unpaid volunteer.

A health and physical education teacher at Sherman Junior High School, Miller took a medical leave of absence last year to deal with prostate cancer.

He also had to give up his longtime post as the head coach of the adjacent high school's football team.

A Sherman High School graduate, Miller had a 136-81 career record in 20 seasons as the head coach at his alma mater.

Miller made his return Sept. 1 — four days before Sherman's season opener — after doctors cleared him but restricted him to limited duty.

“After being on the field for 34 years, it was kind of strange not being out there on Friday nights,” Miller said.

“It’s exciting to be back. I'm having a great time with these kids. We're having fun and they’re playing some pretty good football.”

Sherman is undefeated after a

36-20 Week 2 win at Independence and a 48-24 Week 3 win at Wyoming East. Equipped with an explosive offense, the Tide is averaging 422 yards and 42 points per game.

“I have been blessed to be back in this capacity,” said Miller, a former Tide baseball coach who resigned that position to spend more time with his wife and their twin daughters. “The Lord has been really good to me.”

Sherman coach Shann Elkins

welcomed Miller with open arms.

"You can't replace the years of experience he has," said Elkins, who led the Tide to a 2-8 record last season, his first as Miller's successor. "He has been a huge help to us. He offers another set of eyes -- and fresh eyes -- to see something we might be

overlooking."

Sherman (2-0) will visit Herbert Hoover (1-2) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Herbert Hoover is coming off a 49-20 Cardinal Conference loss to Class AA perennial power Wayne.

Miller, who was the subject of a lengthy feature in the Coal Valley News two years ago, already has a lasting legacy at his alma mater. He is largely responsible for Sherman's baseball field, football locker room and all-sports weight room.

Miller led the efforts to build those facilities for the Tide's athletes.

“Getting facilities for the kids means more to me than anything,” Miller told the Coal Valley News in an August 2007 interview.

“When I was the baseball coach, we didn’t have a home field for a long time. We had to play at Whitesville. We had kids driving from Ashford and Nellis. When we played teams in Kanawha County, it was closer for those kids to drive to our road games than it was for them to drive to our home games.”

Before Sherman had its

football field house and weight room, “we used to dress

downstairs right over there,” Miller said, pointing to the locker rooms adjacent to its gymnasium. “We called it ‘The Hole.’ It was pretty rough. Both teams dressed down there.

“We have had a lot of

compliments from (former Capital High School football coach) Roger Jefferson, who goes to just about every school in the state selling equipment for Riddell. He really is impressed with our facilities.

“We were real pleased when we were able to put this together.”

At 5 feet, 7 inches and 135 pounds, Miller played tight end and cornerback for the Tide from 1968 to 1970. He was a special honorable mention selection on the All-State team during his senior season.

“At that time, they only had one All-State team – Single-A, Double-A and Triple-A were combined,” he said.

Miller attended Marshall University. He graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education.

He started his teaching and coaching career later that year at Whitesville Junior High School, which contained kindergarten through ninth grade.

“But I didn’t have an

elementary degree,” said Miller, who coached the school’s football, basketball and baseball teams. “I had a secondary degree. I had to go back and get six hours a year to get a special permit to teach elementary school.”

Miller stayed at Whitesville until 1980, when he transferred to Sherman to teach health and physical education.

“I have been here ever since,” he said.