After Tuesday’s practice, sophomore WR Brian Hightower fielded questions on how his spring has been going so far.
“It has gone pretty well, just getting to know the new playbook, being out here and competing - everything is going well,” Hightower said.
With bigger receivers like Lawrence Cager and Darrell Langham gone from last season, there seems to be a void to fill in the offense that the 6’3” Hightower would be perfect for. The young wideout recognizes the opportunity for more playing time and says he, and the rest of his teammates, are competing every day to earn their roles.
“Everyone is competing, from quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, the whole offense, defense,” Hightower said. “We’re working, want to be great. That’s what we’re pushing for.”
This is now Hightower’s second offense he’s had to learn in two years at Miami. How has it been starting from square 1 yet again?
“It’s been pretty good,” Hightower said. “We’re just still learning day-by-day. It’s not going to be easy, but we’re grinding, working hard and it’s going to come.”
Which has been tougher to learn, last year’s offense under Mark Richt or this year’s offense under Dan Enos?
“It’s not really tougher this year, just it’s about putting the time in to know what you’re doing.”
One of the new additions to the WR group this spring is Jeremiah Payton, who was an early enrollee straight from high school. As an early enrollee himself last spring, Hightower knows how challenging it can be to adjust to the college level so quickly.
“He’s doing great. I was an early enrollee, know how it feels to be an early enrollee, and he’s come in and dominated,” Hightower said. “He’s done everything he’s supposed to do.”
**Sophomore OL Corey Gaynor sat the majority of last season to take a redshirt year. However, with two year starting center Tyler Gauthier graduating, Gaynor will be counted on heavily in 2019 to replace Gauthier in the middle of Miami’s line.
“It was great learning from Tyler,” Gaynor said. “Now being the starting center, you’re trying to get everyone on the same page. It’s just a challenge every day that the center position comes with. But I love it, it’s great.”
Butch Barry has replaced Stacy Searels as Miami’s offensive line coach and Gaynor feels Barry has fit right in at UM.
“He brings the NFL mentality. He’s very technical, which I love,” Gaynor said. “He’s doing a great job.”
Gaynor has spent the entire spring running with the first team offensive line, but Barry lets his unit know that nobody’s job is safe.
“No one’s set in a position yet,” Gaynor said.
The Canes played Gaynor in only 4 games last season to preserve his redshirt, down from 10 games played in 2017. The young lineman said the time off benefitted him, and Gaynor used the year to get stronger in the weight room for his 2019 starting role.
“It was for my ultimate good, redshirting,” Gaynor said. “I’m wiser, stronger, a better feel for the game.”
With Dan Enos’ offense being installed this spring, Gaynor has spent a lot of this off-season learning the new calls as a center.
“Coach Enos’ offense is very complex,” Gaynor said. “It is better. We all have different schemes on pass blocking.”
The Canes are using this spring to get a head start on finding a QB that can lead their offense in 2019, and each of the three candidates have spent time rotating in with the first team offense. What is it like snapping to N’Kosi Perry, Jarren Williams, and Tate Martell?
“I don’t even notice a difference, they’re all moving the offense so perfectly,” Gaynor said. “They’re doing fantastic.”
**Freshman WR Jeremiah Payton was one of seven new additions to the roster this spring and his first experience as a Miami Hurricane couldn’t have gone much better so far.
“It’s real exciting - classes, workouts, everything has been going pretty good,” Payton.
The toughest part about the transition to college football?
“Workouts really. In high school, it wasn’t strenuous, how it is now - a big change,” Payton said. “I also had to take time to study, sit down and really gather myself in the playbook. I still have a lot more to learn, but definitely a big change from high school plays.”
Payton said he didn’t really study the game in high school like he has these first 3 months at Miami.
“You have to learn it if you want to play,” Payton said.
What does Payton feel he has to work on most on the field to see playing time as a freshman?
“I have to step my game up, move faster, respond quicker, run routes quicker, do everything different,” Payton said.
Not only do true freshman have to go through a gauntlet on the field to get used to college ball, but adjusting to their first year away from home and more rigorous coursework can be just as challenging.
“At first it was hard, I’m not going to lie,” Payton said. “After that I was like, `I can’t leave, so I might as well get comfortable and make friends.’ It’s been real good, though.”
“It has gone pretty well, just getting to know the new playbook, being out here and competing - everything is going well,” Hightower said.
With bigger receivers like Lawrence Cager and Darrell Langham gone from last season, there seems to be a void to fill in the offense that the 6’3” Hightower would be perfect for. The young wideout recognizes the opportunity for more playing time and says he, and the rest of his teammates, are competing every day to earn their roles.
“Everyone is competing, from quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, the whole offense, defense,” Hightower said. “We’re working, want to be great. That’s what we’re pushing for.”
This is now Hightower’s second offense he’s had to learn in two years at Miami. How has it been starting from square 1 yet again?
“It’s been pretty good,” Hightower said. “We’re just still learning day-by-day. It’s not going to be easy, but we’re grinding, working hard and it’s going to come.”
Which has been tougher to learn, last year’s offense under Mark Richt or this year’s offense under Dan Enos?
“It’s not really tougher this year, just it’s about putting the time in to know what you’re doing.”
One of the new additions to the WR group this spring is Jeremiah Payton, who was an early enrollee straight from high school. As an early enrollee himself last spring, Hightower knows how challenging it can be to adjust to the college level so quickly.
“He’s doing great. I was an early enrollee, know how it feels to be an early enrollee, and he’s come in and dominated,” Hightower said. “He’s done everything he’s supposed to do.”
**Sophomore OL Corey Gaynor sat the majority of last season to take a redshirt year. However, with two year starting center Tyler Gauthier graduating, Gaynor will be counted on heavily in 2019 to replace Gauthier in the middle of Miami’s line.
“It was great learning from Tyler,” Gaynor said. “Now being the starting center, you’re trying to get everyone on the same page. It’s just a challenge every day that the center position comes with. But I love it, it’s great.”
Butch Barry has replaced Stacy Searels as Miami’s offensive line coach and Gaynor feels Barry has fit right in at UM.
“He brings the NFL mentality. He’s very technical, which I love,” Gaynor said. “He’s doing a great job.”
Gaynor has spent the entire spring running with the first team offensive line, but Barry lets his unit know that nobody’s job is safe.
“No one’s set in a position yet,” Gaynor said.
The Canes played Gaynor in only 4 games last season to preserve his redshirt, down from 10 games played in 2017. The young lineman said the time off benefitted him, and Gaynor used the year to get stronger in the weight room for his 2019 starting role.
“It was for my ultimate good, redshirting,” Gaynor said. “I’m wiser, stronger, a better feel for the game.”
With Dan Enos’ offense being installed this spring, Gaynor has spent a lot of this off-season learning the new calls as a center.
“Coach Enos’ offense is very complex,” Gaynor said. “It is better. We all have different schemes on pass blocking.”
The Canes are using this spring to get a head start on finding a QB that can lead their offense in 2019, and each of the three candidates have spent time rotating in with the first team offense. What is it like snapping to N’Kosi Perry, Jarren Williams, and Tate Martell?
“I don’t even notice a difference, they’re all moving the offense so perfectly,” Gaynor said. “They’re doing fantastic.”
**Freshman WR Jeremiah Payton was one of seven new additions to the roster this spring and his first experience as a Miami Hurricane couldn’t have gone much better so far.
“It’s real exciting - classes, workouts, everything has been going pretty good,” Payton.
The toughest part about the transition to college football?
“Workouts really. In high school, it wasn’t strenuous, how it is now - a big change,” Payton said. “I also had to take time to study, sit down and really gather myself in the playbook. I still have a lot more to learn, but definitely a big change from high school plays.”
Payton said he didn’t really study the game in high school like he has these first 3 months at Miami.
“You have to learn it if you want to play,” Payton said.
What does Payton feel he has to work on most on the field to see playing time as a freshman?
“I have to step my game up, move faster, respond quicker, run routes quicker, do everything different,” Payton said.
Not only do true freshman have to go through a gauntlet on the field to get used to college ball, but adjusting to their first year away from home and more rigorous coursework can be just as challenging.
“At first it was hard, I’m not going to lie,” Payton said. “After that I was like, `I can’t leave, so I might as well get comfortable and make friends.’ It’s been real good, though.”
