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MJ sports mobileRedHawks' Haywood impressed by frosh
Miami coach praises the conditioning of freshmen, but upset with shape of veteran players.
OXFORD — Miami University first-year football coach Mike Haywood gave mixed reviews to his team’s first day of summer practice Friday, Aug. 7, and he announced one significant position change.
Jordan Stevens, who has been in the running for a starting position at defensive end, has been switched to tight end.
“He did a tremendous job today,” Haywood said of Stevens, a 6-foot-4, 254-pound junior from Monroeville, Pa., who recorded 14 tackles last fall, including 2½ tackles for loss and a sack.
“His reps will increase quite a bit based on his performance today,” the Miami coach said.
Miami lost its top three tight ends from last season, including Jake O’Connell, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, and Tom Crabtree, who signed as a free agent with the Chiefs.
The other tight ends in the mix are sophomores Kendrick Bruton and Rob Reiland, each of whom lettered last season but did not catch a pass, and true freshmen Steve Marck and Brian Slack.
Haywood also had praise for the true freshmen practicing for the first time at the Yager Stadium complex. For the returning players, well, not so much.
“I’m not pleased with the conditioning of 48 percent of the team,” Haywood said. “It’s really interesting how well the freshmen came to camp in shape. You have to commend them.
“Watching the freshmen, they’re really athletic,” he said. “They’ll have an opportunity to compete for some jobs and at least play on special teams. They really compete and have a great work ethic.”
Haywood is giving the freshmen a three-day crash course on learning the basics.
“Before you give the freshmen an opportunity for a job, you have to give them the opportunity to learn the system,” he said. “Today they got 80-90 percent of the reps.”
Haywood noted that freshmen used to be able to report to camp several days before the upperclassmen.
“Now you’ve got them coming in as one cohesive unit,” he said. “The freshmen can get lost in the shuffle.”
Among the Miami freshmen who will be given a long look are Austin Boucher, the quarterback who said no thanks to Ohio State, and wide receiver Lucas Swift.
All spots in the lineup are up for grabs, Haywood emphasized.
“We won’t nail any position down until we have our first scrimmage (Saturday, Aug. 15) and analyze each individual player,” Haywood said. “Then we’ll start putting a depth chart together.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
»View a photo gallery from the first day of practice at Journal-News.com.
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