OXFORD, Ohio— When the final practice of Miami Football's fall camp wrapped up this morning, head coach Chuck Martin's message to his team was simple.
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"We've come a long way. And we've got a long way to go."
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With a young, talented and mostly inexperienced roster, Martin and his staff are confident that the RedHawks will continue to improve throughout the remainder of preseason practice (and through the season as well), just like they have from the first practice of fall camp to the 17th one.
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In the meantime, "We're going to do everything in our power to beat Wisconsin," Martin said in the post-practice huddle.
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"We're fundamentally getting better. That's the biggest improvement," he added in an interview later. "Our knowledge is getting better, so we're getting better at the basics we've been stressing, and that's really shown the last couple days...
"It's a tall task, but it's exciting that challenge is right in front of you, and it's what you live for.
Martin addresses the RedHawks after practice
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As the RedHawks prepare to get into a normal game week of preparation —beginning with an afternoon practice on Friday at Yager Stadium— Martin said fans shouldn't be surprised to see plenty of rotation at different spots in the lineup when the season gets underway at Wisconsin (and even beyond the opener) as 'tons' of position battles continue into the fall.
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"We've got people battling…and [at] almost every position on our team, there are going to be rotations," he said. "We've got a lot of good players and a lot of young guys that we want to get on the field and let them play.
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"They've got to figure it out, and we've got to figure them out."
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Nowhere is that truer than along the offensive line, which lost all five starters from the 2024 team. Redshirt freshman Kris Manu said he's optimistic about the approach that unit specifically has taken through the offseason to now.
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"I love everybody in that room, because we all work hard; that's part of the reason I came here," Manu said. "Everyone I see is determined. They want to be good, and they're always getting extra work in…we pride ourselves on that every single day – not just for us but for the whole team…
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"I think we'll be good to start the season, and I think that we're going to be even better at the end."
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Miami kicks off the 2025 campaign in Madison, Wis. next Thursday, Aug. 28 at 9 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
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Prepping for Wisconsin with music blaring from nearby in the end zone PUBLIC 'SPEAKER': Knowing that Camp Randall Stadium in prime time will certainly be a hostile environment, the RedHawks took their preparations to the next level today by blaring music during the offense's play calls. The Miami staff set a boombox speaker on top of a trash can, first at the goal line and later near midfield, and cranked the volume to help players practice communicating when they're being drowned out by the stadium sound. "Third down will be deafening," Martin said afterward. "We're not going to hear ourselves on offense there…you've got to get used to [that]…and it takes a lot of work."
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INSIDE SLANT: Nearly every day after the 15-minute team stretching period to open practice concludes, Miami works on field goals. The RedHawks have two complete different 22-man reps going on simultaneously, one closer to the uprights and one farther away, which occasionally involves the deeper placekicker booting a ball directly over the other group. After each attempt, all 22 players involved in that snap quickly sprint to whatever location is called out next (and try to stay out of the way of the other 22 guys who might be shifting locations any moment). Staffers are pointing, waving and yelling to try and get things started as soon as possible; calling it a ruckus might be an understatement.
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"Left hash 7, right hash 23!
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"Left hash 7, right hash 23!"
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It seems a little bit like a cross between rush hour traffic and what an air traffic controller's job at O'Hare must be, as players intersect and move to their assigned spot to try and get as many successful kicks in before the period expires.
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All that work paid off today, as practice ended with Kellan McLaughlin burying a clutch 46-yard field goal after a successful 'last-minute' drive by the second-team offense.
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 EYEBALL EMOJI: Lynel Billups-Williams made a couple of nice catches this morning, hauling in a touchdown in a one-on-one rep from the 40-yard line and later going up high to snag a long catch near midfield in a team period.
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Simmons made one of several contested catches
during today's one-on-one reps
 PLAY OF THE DAY: The offense might have had its best day of fall camp in the one-on-one period, as the wideouts consistently pulled in contested catches on beautiful deep balls from the RedHawk quarterbacks. Perhaps the most impressive grab came courtesy of Brady Simmons, who teamed up with Dequan Finn on a 35-yard strike down the right sideline and made a tough play against tight coverage from Koy Beasley to haul in the pass.
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 'CENTER' OF ATTENTION: Manu has been working mainly at center despite not playing the position before coming to Miami, and he said the middle of the O-line matches his personality and approach. "I think playing center really fits my play style; I'm a leader on and off the field," Manu said.
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"I'm really loud, so that helps in communicating with the offensive line…every spot on the line has its own nuances, and I wouldn't say one [position] is more important than another…
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"But you definitely have to be a certain kind of player and certain kind of person to play center."
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Kris Manu, the 'coffee bean', is always full of energy
In high school, coaches called the high-energy Manu 'a coffee bean', which made sense watching him jump, bounce and yell as he led the O-linemen out of the Gunlock Family Athletic Performance Center today. "I have juice not just for myself, but for my guys and my team," Manu smiled.
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Although he's the shortest offensive lineman on the roster (listed at 6-2 and 300 pounds), Manu said his determination is the key to his success on the gridiron. "I'm not the biggest guy, so I have to have perfect technique," Manu explained. "I'm going to have to stay in the film room extra, because I have to make up for what I lack.
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"I knew this going into college: I'm not going to be the biggest, fastest, or strongest, but I'm going to outwork you every single day and every single play."
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Manu is looking forward to taking the field at next week in Madison in what could be his first start for the Red and White. "I'm truly excited," Manu said. "Obviously there are nerves, but I think nervousness and excitement is the same emotion: It's just how you express it and how you're going to feel it.
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"I'm already excited right now, so I know that when gameday comes, I'm going to be ready to go!"
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 Season tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now! Call (513) 529-4295 for more information. Miami Football will kick off its home schedule with a clash against UNLV on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Yager Stadium.
