Camp Report - Day Two
8/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Now back to football!
The players were once again in a jersey and shorts (no pads), so it is always going to be more difficult to judge things compared to when the pads come on (which starts on Saturday!). With that said, some players did stand out. Below are a few observations:
- I have received a lot of questions about the freshman, but unfortunately I don't have a ton to report on them at this point. They do run through the drills and get a few reps, but at this point I don't have a ton to judge them on. One thing I did notice is how big some of the freshmen wide receivers are. Guys like James Gardner (6-3, 219) and Luke Mayock (6-5, 201) tower over some of the older guys.
- Another one of those "giants" is red-shirt freshman Chris Hudson. When he arrived at Miami he was 6-foot-6 and 259 pounds. He has now slimmed down to 226 pounds and looks much more athletic. At one point early in practice he reeled in a one-handed jump ball for a 50-yard grab.
- Gus Ragland seems to have improved his arm strength. One of his throws that stood out was during a team period. Ragland was flushed to his left, but was still able to throw a 20-yard strike to Orlando David for a touchdown, despite throwing against his body. This is something I will keep an eye on.
- Ragland's top targets on Friday was Jared Murphy. I love watching him in 1-on-1 drills. He is outstanding at attacking the short routes, but also the middle of the field. A player that can run that many different route combinations is a huge asset.
- Matt Merimee had the lone interception on the day, picking off a sideline route.
- Another cornerback, Marshall Taylor, had an outstanding day, deflecting several passes.
The pads come on tomorrow. Stay tuned to MURedHawks.com on Saturday for more updates.
