OXFORD, Ohio— Heading into Wednesday's practice at Yager Stadium, the Miami offense hadn't turned the ball over in a team period yet during fall camp.
 
Malcolm McCain changed that in a big way.
 
The redshirt sophomore linebacker picked off a pass near the sideline to get the RedHawk defense rolling this morning, and Kaleb Martin and Adrian Walker Jr. added interceptions before the final whistle blew. The trio of big plays stood out for a unit that seems to be getting more confident and more aggressive with each passing day of camp.

 

"We hadn't turned it over in six days and I didn't want to mention it," head coach Chuck Martin said afterward. "But I did want to mention it for the defense, because we're a team. So I mentioned in our team meeting with the old knock-on-wood: 'We haven't turned the ball over one time.' That's great for the offense and scary for the defense…
 
"The best thing today is when they had a chance to make a play, they made the play. You don't get many opportunities, so when you get your hands on something you've got to make the play. They had three opportunities today and they made three plays, which is huge."
 
"We've had a lot of good days, but we've been a little bit lacking in the turnover department," said McCain. "That was one thing the coaches harped on before practice today. We honestly just came out and the ball was on our mind…
 
"And once the ball starts rolling, they come in bunches!"
 
Miami is scheduled to practice again on Thursday morning, August 7 in Oxford.
 
 
QUICK CHANGE: The Miami coaches were able to use today's interceptions to help remind the defense what to do in a quick-change situation after a turnover: Keep the ball high and tight. Don't block behind the ball. Don't unnecessarily clobber anyone and risk a penalty flag. And last but not least: Get the ball to the end zone! Score on defense and "that changes our season," Chuck Martin told his team as practice wrapped up.
 
 
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?: After Dequan Finn converted a third-and-goal from the five-yard line with a slant touchdown to Keith Reynolds, Kellan McLaughlin ran out to kick the extra point…and proceeded to hammer it so hard that it not only completely cleared the net behind the uprights but managed to drill off the small scoreboard that hangs under Yager's videoboard. No idea how the physics and geometry of that play worked from an up-and-down trajectory standpoint —the arc seems physically impossible since the lower scoreboard isn't that far behind the net to begin with— but McLaughlin's kick definitely made direct contact.
 
"Kellan bombed that thing," marveled fellow kicker Dom Dzioban later. "That was smoked."
 
 
INSIDE SLANT: At one point in practice, defensive coordinator Bill Brechin coached the Miami linebackers through a tackling drill where each player took turns bear-hugging and wrapping up a vertical pad on a sled, driving through it for a few steps and then leaving it for the next teammate to grab. The entire group of

linebackers – nearly a dozen— paraded around the southwest corner of the field behind the sled as it moved throughout that quadrant of Yager Stadium (instead of returning the pad to the same starting spot on each rep, which would take more time) in what appeared to resemble a large game of 'Follow-The-Leader.'
 
"We're just working on form tackles: Driving our hips and bringing our feet through our tackles," Brechin explained as he broke down the drill for us at the conclusion of practice. "A lot of high school kids can get away with turning their shoulders and making tackles just by chopping guys down, but college football's obviously way different. The tailbacks are different. The wide receivers are different. If you try to chop those guys or just take half a man, they'll just bounce off the tackles a lot of times, so we're really working on the 'finish' part of it.
 
"You're striking with your chest, keeping your eyes to the sky, bringing your hips through, hugging them in the back and then running your feet through."
 
"Coach Brechin likes to say to simulate a [weight room] power clean," McCain added later. "Bring your hips through, full body extension, and then running our feet for a few steps.
 
"It really helps us to get in the physical mindset for the rest of practice, and we're just working on good form."
 
 
EYEBALL EMOJI: Kaleb Martin stood out throughout today's practice, as the sophomore corner followed up his interception in one team period (reading the quarterback's progression against a blitz and breaking on the ball) with a pass breakup on a deep throw in the next.


MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE? With Matt Salopek and Ty Wise -- and the nearly 750 tackles they combined to make-- no longer wearing the Red and White, Miami's linebacker corps will certainly look different in 2025. Experienced veterans like Corban Hondru and Oscar McWood (who both played all 14 games a year ago) are expected to lead the way: "I'm excited about where their growth is going, because now they're fighting to get in the spotlight," Brechin said. "They're trying to be the Salopek and the Ty Wise for that spot."
 

"Hondru and McWood are playing really well," Chuck Martin agreed. "They're also leading the group and setting the bar for how we do things."
 
Additionally, McCain, Jackson Kuwatch, Luke Myers and others should be factors for playing time in the middle of Miami's defense. Martin said McCain has had a 'tremendous' fall camp so far, building on the growth he showed through spring and summer. "He's big and strong, he's super-smart, he cares, he's got great habits and now he's playing really fast," Martin continued.
 
When asked about how the 2025 group of linebackers can fill such big shoes of last year's All-MAC standouts, McCain told us, "I think that's actually propelled the linebacker room to new heights. We have many, many people fighting for those spots, and competition creates success and improvement...we've been grinding and grinding this offseason, and that competition is going to make us better as a team and as a unit."
 
 
DON'T STEP ON MY TOES!: In one special teams period today, Miami worked on kickoff coverage, trying to improve players' decision-making while running at full speed. In this particular drill, kickers Carter Holden and Dzioban played the roles of blockers. Each RedHawk lined up on the sideline would race at the kicker in question, read the position of how they were lined up to 'block', try to get as close as possible, and then go on to make a 'tackle' in the middle of the field.
 
The 'getting as close as possible' part made for a few nervy moments, as Dzioban could be seen flinching once or twice when one of his teammates got exceptionally close before veering to avoid him at the final second.
 
"I have to close my eyes every time I do that," he joked later. "Some guys get a little too close for my liking -- especially the big guys!
 
"They have to step on my toes as close as possible, but without ACTUALLY stepping on my toes. Because that would be bad for the team," the 2024 Lou Groza Award semifinalist said with a grin.
 

Season tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now! Call (513) 529-4295 for more information. Miami Football will host its annual Kickoff with the Community on Saturday, Aug. 16 at Yager Stadium. Gates open at 10 a.m.; more information is available here.

Miss a RedHawk Report? Catch up on fall camp with our daily MiamiRedHawks.com notebooks: Aug. 5  |  Aug. 2  |  July 31  |  July 30  |  July 29