OXFORD, Ohio— "ALERT! Where's he going?
 
"Yeah, alert that! TELL SOMEBODY!"
 
It's Wednesday morning in Yager Stadium, and Miami defensive backs coach Mitchell White is giving pre-snap pointers to one of his true freshman cornerbacks in a 7-on-7 drill. White wants his players talking, helping each other, and relaying information on the field…and if today's practice is any sign, his unit is well on its way.
 
"We try to emphasize making small improvements one day to the next, and in that fashion, today was really good," White said after practice. "You see small steps; you see communication processes from young guys, right?
 
"And that's hard, because when you're a young guy, it's hard to be loud. You don't have the confidence. You don't know if you have the platform yet. So for those guys, [it means something] to take that step and say, 'Hey, this is the call: I'm confident!'
 
"We always say, 'Say it with conviction, even if you're wrong'…it was good to see that today, because we emphasized it this morning.
 
"Guys are taking information in and applying it on the field, which is what you want as a coach and a player. You're progressing…we're taking those steps and putting fundamental blocks in place right now so we can be the team we want to be when it's time.
 
"We're playing the long game."
 
Luke Evans is one of several sophomore corners, along with Toney Coleman Jr. and Kaleb Martin, who made an impact for White's group during the 2024 season.
 
"Everybody is out here asking questions, whether it's asking Coach or asking each other. It's everybody helping each other get better," Evans said today. "Everyone being together as a whole and improving is going to help us be the best we can be…
 
"If you want to be the best team, you've got to communicate."
 
Head coach Chuck Martin complimented his team's togetherness after Wednesday's practice concluded. "It's a hard, fine line," Martin said of the balance between trying to be competitive and beat the guy that's directly across the line of scrimmage while still being teammates and having each other's backs.
 
"There's a one-on-one battle on every down, and yes, we're trying to whip that one-on-one battle. We always say it: That's being a great teammate. But we were more together today: We still had that high compete level, and it was still physical, but we're a team through and through."
 
Miami is scheduled to practice again on Thursday morning, July 31 in Oxford.
 

PLAY OF THE DAY: Wideout Braylon Isom made a beautiful twisting-catch on a back-shoulder throw down the left sideline during a 7-on-7 rep. The offense had a successful day producing multiple big plays in the 7-on-7 scenarios, although Martin thought the defense more than held its own in the 1-on-1 goal line reps.
 

INSIDE SLANT:
From the very beginning of practice, White could be heard encouraging his defensive backs to play 'roadrunner style', which to him means being able to 'run all day.'
 
"That's one of the things I think is a requirement of the position," White explained later. "We take pride in being able to run all day. It's hot out, but we still have to run. We still have to make plays, break [on the ball], and cover ground.
 
That was easier said than done on this particular sunny morning, which was certainly warm/sweltering/scorching/[insert your favorite synonym for 'hot' here] . Coaches could consistently be heard throughout the practice encouraging players to take their helmets off and get plenty to drink during breaks.
 
"You have to take care of your body," Martin said afterward. "Even if you're not totally thirsty, you've got to drink all day long, because you're going to burn fluid."
 

JUST FOR KICKS: The Red and White got several periods of special teams work in today, including a 'hands team' drill for recovering onside kicks. White and defensive coordinator Bill Brechin alternated kicking footballs with a 'high hop', where the receiving player had to decide whether he could successfully grab the ball on the bounce or if he should let it go and begin blocking instead. There were quite a few impressive catches in these scenarios, but clearly no room for error in a situation that could very well decide a game later this fall, so every rep was valuable. 
 

EYEBALL EMOJI: On multiple snaps in the first 11-on-11 action of the day, defensive end Bai Jobe's first step was dominant. Jobe, a redshirt sophomore transfer from the Kansas Jayhawks who began his career at Michigan State, looks to be a difference-maker with his speed on the outside rush.

 
Miami Football season tickets are on sale now! Click here to reserve your seats today, or call the ticket office at (513) 529-4295 for more information. Single-game tickets will be available Thursday for season ticket holders and donors, with the general public on-sale beginning Friday, August 1 at 10 a.m.

Miss a RedHawk Report? Catch up on fall camp with our daily MiamiRedHawks.com notebooks: July 29