For Miami 2020 4-star WR commit Michael Redding, his Tuesday in-home visit with the coaching staff was not your typical in-home visit. As Redding is currently at IMG Academy, which is essentially a boarding school, and only has a dorm room to his name, Miami coaches Manny Diaz, Taylor Stubblefield, Mike Rumph had to get creative in spending time with the talented receiver prospect.
“Being at IMG, they don’t really come to my house, but we had a good talk in the meeting room,” Redding said. “They were just talking to me about their coaching and how the 2020 class coming in is going to be great. They were telling me why I was one of the type of players they love to recruit, the type of player they really wanted in this class. They said the 2020 class, all of us are hard workers and great competitors, the type of players that hate to lose and love to win.”
When discussing his role in the Canes’ offense, the staff has conveyed to Redding that they see him fitting into the X receiver spot on the field.
“They talked to me about my athleticism and how I go up and get the ball, so I’ll be a good fit for that spot. Of course, that allows me to be a deep threat with my aggressive and competitive nature,” Redding said. “They also talked to me being a leader in the wide receiver room because of my mentality, and that’d I’d be a great leader.”
The 6-1 195 pound prospect is enrolling early at Miami and will be on campus in January getting ready for spring ball in March. When asked about his expectations for his first college spring practices, Redding didn’t hesitate to say that he has his eyes on a starting job at UM.
“I’m ready to just compete for a starting spot. That’s what the coaches told me, basically that I’d have an opportunity to compete and the best time to start that is in the spring,” Redding said. “That's what coach Manny Diaz was talking about also, having the opportunity to make each other better by competing and going against each other.”
As he’s planning on taking his UM official visit on Dec. 13th weekend along with most of Miami’s commits, Redding sees the trip as a great bonding opportunity to get to know the people he plans to spend the next 4 years around.
“I just want to have fun, enjoy the time, build a bond with my future teammates and brothers,” Redding said. “I talk to them every once and awhile, but I’m excited, though, real excited to meet these guys and talk to these guys. That’s why I can’t wait to take this visit. Of course at the Opening, talked to Don (Chaney), talked to TVD (Tyler Van Dyke). I’m hearing a lot from these guys, like Xavier (Restrepo). I’ve heard a lot of good things about these guys, and I’m glad they came to the U. Just ready to get there in January.”
Redding last visited UM for the Virginia Tech game in October and gave his thoughts on what he was seeing from the Miami receivers this season.
“We got a lot of great wide receivers like KJ Osborn, Jeff Thomas, and Brevin Jordan. They had a lot of great plays to Brevin Jordan and Jeff Thomas (vs. VT),” Redding said. “I also went to the Florida game. At the beginning of the Florida game, they did a lot of quick screens and they we’re able to get the ball to the wide receivers so they could make moves.”
Of course, the Canes just finished their 2019 regular season at a disappointing 6-6, but Redding sees it more as a teachable moment for him and his classmates, as well as an opportunity to be the class that helps bring UM back to a championship standard.
“The way I see it is, the only thing we can do from here is go up,” Redding said. “Of course, every team has a down season or things may not go as good as they thought they would. The only thing we can do is just learn from this season. Everybody has a tough time, everybody has a down time. But with the 2020 class, we’re going to be able to bring the team back up to where they used to be and we feel like we can really change the program. The only thing I see in this season is that we can learn from this season and keep moving on, have a better season after this and keep improving each year.”
During his senior season at IMG, Redding tallied 17 catches for 202 yards and 1 TD. Although he was disappointed he wasn’t more productive individually in his final high school season for the Ascenders, Redding was still happy the team had a successful year at 9-1.
“It was not the best, not like I wish it could’ve gone,” Redding said of his senior year. “Being a leader and still persevering, it was a lot of learning lessons. Playing for a run-first offense, it was tough, but it showed me I had to be patient at times and showed me how to take advantage of the opportunity every time the ball comes my way.”
At the Opening Finals in July, Redding posted a 4.54 40-yard dash, a 4.44 short shuttle, and a 41.40 inch vertical leap.
“Being at IMG, they don’t really come to my house, but we had a good talk in the meeting room,” Redding said. “They were just talking to me about their coaching and how the 2020 class coming in is going to be great. They were telling me why I was one of the type of players they love to recruit, the type of player they really wanted in this class. They said the 2020 class, all of us are hard workers and great competitors, the type of players that hate to lose and love to win.”
When discussing his role in the Canes’ offense, the staff has conveyed to Redding that they see him fitting into the X receiver spot on the field.
“They talked to me about my athleticism and how I go up and get the ball, so I’ll be a good fit for that spot. Of course, that allows me to be a deep threat with my aggressive and competitive nature,” Redding said. “They also talked to me being a leader in the wide receiver room because of my mentality, and that’d I’d be a great leader.”
The 6-1 195 pound prospect is enrolling early at Miami and will be on campus in January getting ready for spring ball in March. When asked about his expectations for his first college spring practices, Redding didn’t hesitate to say that he has his eyes on a starting job at UM.
“I’m ready to just compete for a starting spot. That’s what the coaches told me, basically that I’d have an opportunity to compete and the best time to start that is in the spring,” Redding said. “That's what coach Manny Diaz was talking about also, having the opportunity to make each other better by competing and going against each other.”
As he’s planning on taking his UM official visit on Dec. 13th weekend along with most of Miami’s commits, Redding sees the trip as a great bonding opportunity to get to know the people he plans to spend the next 4 years around.
“I just want to have fun, enjoy the time, build a bond with my future teammates and brothers,” Redding said. “I talk to them every once and awhile, but I’m excited, though, real excited to meet these guys and talk to these guys. That’s why I can’t wait to take this visit. Of course at the Opening, talked to Don (Chaney), talked to TVD (Tyler Van Dyke). I’m hearing a lot from these guys, like Xavier (Restrepo). I’ve heard a lot of good things about these guys, and I’m glad they came to the U. Just ready to get there in January.”
Redding last visited UM for the Virginia Tech game in October and gave his thoughts on what he was seeing from the Miami receivers this season.
“We got a lot of great wide receivers like KJ Osborn, Jeff Thomas, and Brevin Jordan. They had a lot of great plays to Brevin Jordan and Jeff Thomas (vs. VT),” Redding said. “I also went to the Florida game. At the beginning of the Florida game, they did a lot of quick screens and they we’re able to get the ball to the wide receivers so they could make moves.”
Of course, the Canes just finished their 2019 regular season at a disappointing 6-6, but Redding sees it more as a teachable moment for him and his classmates, as well as an opportunity to be the class that helps bring UM back to a championship standard.
“The way I see it is, the only thing we can do from here is go up,” Redding said. “Of course, every team has a down season or things may not go as good as they thought they would. The only thing we can do is just learn from this season. Everybody has a tough time, everybody has a down time. But with the 2020 class, we’re going to be able to bring the team back up to where they used to be and we feel like we can really change the program. The only thing I see in this season is that we can learn from this season and keep moving on, have a better season after this and keep improving each year.”
During his senior season at IMG, Redding tallied 17 catches for 202 yards and 1 TD. Although he was disappointed he wasn’t more productive individually in his final high school season for the Ascenders, Redding was still happy the team had a successful year at 9-1.
“It was not the best, not like I wish it could’ve gone,” Redding said of his senior year. “Being a leader and still persevering, it was a lot of learning lessons. Playing for a run-first offense, it was tough, but it showed me I had to be patient at times and showed me how to take advantage of the opportunity every time the ball comes my way.”
At the Opening Finals in July, Redding posted a 4.54 40-yard dash, a 4.44 short shuttle, and a 41.40 inch vertical leap.
