Notes from Camp Oxford: Day 15
8/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 16, 2007
OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami University's football team, just two weeks away from its season opener, is now more than halfway through its pre-season drills. Coach Shane Montgomery's RedHawks open the 2007 campaign on the road at Ball State on Thursday night, August 30. The squad will practice twice tomorrow, then will scrimmage on Saturday afternoon following the annual Football Media Day and Pigskin Picnic at Yager Stadium.
QUOTING Brian Von Bergen (Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach):
"We're really excited about the group we have. Dustin Woods (So., Cincinnati) is a proven talent and is going to be a great player for us. A guy we're really pushing this fall is Eugene Harris (Fr., Atlanta, GA). We see big things in store for him. As he gets more confident about the system, he becomes a faster player. Sometimes Eugene thinks too much; he needs to just let loose.
"There is a very good battle going on at the inside receiver position. Jared Elliott (Jr., Franklin, TN) is one of our best blockers and makes some tough catches in traffic. As a former quarterback, he really understands the plays and knows how to attack the different defenses we see. His deal is learning the physical movements and getting in and out of his cuts. Because he's tall, Jared almost needs to play a little lower.
"The freshman receivers are a special group. This is probably my favorite freshman class of all-time. Chris Givens (Fr., Chillicothe) is the most athletic player I've ever had. I compare him a little bit to (former RedHawk) Martin Nance. Chris is definitely going to play for us this season. He's got the hands and the knack for moving his body, but there's a lot of nuance to the position, so he's continuing to learn. We're going to definitely get him into the mix. Chris has a chance to be a very special player here at Miami. Jamal Rogers (Fr., Fort Myers, FL) has some unbelievable tools. He's our quickest player and makes defenders miss. Though he might not play as much early in the season just because he doesn't understand what we're doing, Jamal will eventually be a major contributor."
"Our quarterbacks are putting the ball where they need to put it. As far as understanding our system, the quarterbacks and our receivers are on the same page. The guys up front are giving the quarterback time, and all we need is a little bit of room to get our receivers loose in space."
PIGSKIN PICNIC: The 2007 Miami Football Picture Day and Pigskin Picnic will be held next Saturday, August 18, at Yager Stadium. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. when fans can get pictures and autographs with their favorite RedHawk players. At 12 noon, there will be an old-fashioned cookout, and Coach Montgomery and his senior players will talk about the upcoming season. At 2:05, fans can watch Miami's football team scrimmage. Adult tickets for the Pigskin Picnic are $15 and children will be admitted for $10. To order tickets by phone, call 1-866 MU HAWKS (684-2957). Reporters and photographers are invited to Miami's Yager Stadium on Saturday morning at 10:45 for interviews and photos. At approximately 12 noon, the media is invited to eat lunch at the Pigskin Picnic, then attend the Red and White Scrimmage at 2 p.m.
MIAMI'S PRACTICE SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Friday, Aug. 17 -- approx. 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. AND 5:00 - 6:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 18 -- scrimmage at 2 p.m.
