Chiefs unveil their new double act
Hayes has been named first team skipper for the coming season, while Miller will act as club captain in a new team structure model that is similar to the one employed by Leeds last season.S
Head coach Rob Baxter explained Miller's primary role in his new job would be to act as a link between players and management, while Hayes will focus on taking charge of the team on match days.
Baxter said: "Alan's work ethic and no nonsense approach to being a professional player, as well as his sense of loyalty and pride in being an Exeter player, made him an ideal choice for this position.
"Tommy's focus will be on game preparation and match day. I have already enjoyed working with Tommy in some leadership roles within the team at lineout and restart and I would expect him to continue to develop his work in these areas.
"I am confident that the rest of the squad will be fully behind Alan and Tommy and support and work with them through the forthcoming season."
At the start of last season Leeds employed Mike MacDonald as team captain, while Rob Rawlinson was named club captain.
The Yorkshire outfit went on to win National League One and both Miller and Hayes will be hoping the introduction of a similar system at Exe will reap the same successful results.
Hayes was captain of Plymouth Albion before he joined the Chiefs last summer.
An impressive debut season at Sandy Park clearly made an impression on Baxter — and Hayes admitted he was delighted to take over the first team captaincy.
The Irish No. 8 said: "It is a big show of faith by Rob in me and I am definitely pleased to have been asked and I hope I can repay him in kind.
"It is a particular honour to be asked to be a captain at a club with such a long history as Exeter.
"It is also a big responsibility to be asked to captain a team that is hoping to break into the Premiership. That is something that will have to be worked on, but hopefully I can make the most of it."
Miller, who has been with the Chiefs for six seasons and has made 113 appearances in that time, admitted he was delighted to have been handed more responsibility.
But the Devon-born flanker says winning promotion this year would top the feeling of being made club captain.
Miller said: "It was a great honour to be asked and it would have been hard to turn it down.
" This is a great club with a great bunch of boys around this year, so hopefully I will not have too much to do.
"It would be an even greater honour if we were to go up at the end of this year. It would be great to have that on my CV and to help write a piece of Exeter history."
Tommy Hayes
