Miami Hurricanes freshman LB Sam Brooks enrolled at UM over the summer, and has been learning first-hand the vast differences between the high school and college games in fall camp.
“It’s been great. Painful but fun,” Brooks said. “It’s a lot of fun here, I love it.
“Everyone moves faster, everybody is bigger and stronger - big, strong, and fast. The plays move fast, like the tempo. Even in the weight room, the weight room is different, the environment is different. Everything is way different than high school.”
Position switches never make that transition easier. In high school, Brooks was mainly a rush end that got after the passer, but the Canes have always seen his future being at LB. Defensive coordinator and LB coach Blake Baker has been working with Brooks these past few months to make sure he has his keys down at the new position.
“Tackling-wise, nothing is different, I just need to get better reading the ball, reading the plays, that’s my only problem basically,” Brooks said. “I’m getting better on that, I’m getting better on everything, just need to keep working. I believe coach Baker will help me and get me on the field.
“I love to be on the field and I’m going to earn it. If I have to go with the ones or the twos, I’m going to earn everything.”
With a rash of injuries at LB, Brooks has gotten a crash course this fall in the hopes of getting him as prepared as possible for the season. The former Miami Northwestern star is now second on the depth chart behind Shaq Quarterman at MIKE heading into the UF game on Saturday.
“I got to step my game up a whole lot now to back my players up,” Brooks said of the injuries at LB. “I want Shaq to believe in me 100% that I got his back. Even though I’m a freshman, I don’t look at it as that - I’m a football player, that’s all that matters. I still need to step my game up a notch for my guys and I’m looking forward to playing.”
Brooks now stands 6-2 215 pounds, having gained 20 pounds since his senior season of high school, and says he’s more than comfortable playing the season at that size. As for his first test, Brooks welcomes the challenge of facing a top 10 Florida Gators team in Orlando this Saturday.
“It’s a pretty simple offense, it’s nothing that we can’t stop. We can stop that,” Brooks said of UF. “I won’t say too much other than I believe in my defense - even when I’m not on the field, I still believe in them. We have plays we’ve been working hard on, we’ve been studying them, that’s all that matters.”
“It’s been great. Painful but fun,” Brooks said. “It’s a lot of fun here, I love it.
“Everyone moves faster, everybody is bigger and stronger - big, strong, and fast. The plays move fast, like the tempo. Even in the weight room, the weight room is different, the environment is different. Everything is way different than high school.”
Position switches never make that transition easier. In high school, Brooks was mainly a rush end that got after the passer, but the Canes have always seen his future being at LB. Defensive coordinator and LB coach Blake Baker has been working with Brooks these past few months to make sure he has his keys down at the new position.
“Tackling-wise, nothing is different, I just need to get better reading the ball, reading the plays, that’s my only problem basically,” Brooks said. “I’m getting better on that, I’m getting better on everything, just need to keep working. I believe coach Baker will help me and get me on the field.
“I love to be on the field and I’m going to earn it. If I have to go with the ones or the twos, I’m going to earn everything.”
With a rash of injuries at LB, Brooks has gotten a crash course this fall in the hopes of getting him as prepared as possible for the season. The former Miami Northwestern star is now second on the depth chart behind Shaq Quarterman at MIKE heading into the UF game on Saturday.
“I got to step my game up a whole lot now to back my players up,” Brooks said of the injuries at LB. “I want Shaq to believe in me 100% that I got his back. Even though I’m a freshman, I don’t look at it as that - I’m a football player, that’s all that matters. I still need to step my game up a notch for my guys and I’m looking forward to playing.”
Brooks now stands 6-2 215 pounds, having gained 20 pounds since his senior season of high school, and says he’s more than comfortable playing the season at that size. As for his first test, Brooks welcomes the challenge of facing a top 10 Florida Gators team in Orlando this Saturday.
“It’s a pretty simple offense, it’s nothing that we can’t stop. We can stop that,” Brooks said of UF. “I won’t say too much other than I believe in my defense - even when I’m not on the field, I still believe in them. We have plays we’ve been working hard on, we’ve been studying them, that’s all that matters.”
