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Hurricanes' receivers speedy, healthy and ready to help their new quarterbacks
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By Christy Cabrera Chirinos, Sun Sentinel
8:53 pm, August 8, 2014
A season ago, Stacy Coley emerged as one of the most electrifying players in the ACC.
The Miami receiver was the only FBS player to score a touchdown four different ways, rushing for a score, catching seven touchdown passes and returning both a punt and a kickoff for scores.
He led the Hurricanes with 1,461 all-purpose yards and his 591 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches are tops among all the returning members of Miami's receiving corps.
Yet through the first four practices of Miami's season, the former Northeast High star hasn't been able to snag one of the highly-coveted orange jerseys coaches use to designate offensive leaders.
If there's anything that speaks volumes about the depth the Hurricanes have at receiver this season, the fact that Coley isn't wearing orange yet may be it.
"It's real competitive. Everybody's just going with the ones sometimes, going with the twos just to get the feel of the quarterbacks and get the competition right," Coley said. "Everyone's just competing right now."
Though Miami still doesn't know which of its four healthy quarterbacks will start when the Hurricanes open their season at Louisville on Sept. 1, it does know this: whoever is throwing the passes should have a talented group that, if healthy, will make life a lot easier for him.
Senior Phillip Dorsett, the former St. Thomas Aquinas standout who missed five games last season after tearing his MCL in Miami's win over North Carolina, is back and faster than ever, clocking an average time of 4.21 in the 40 when timed by Miami this offseason. He hit a low of 4.16, surprising even himself.
Former Miramar High star Malcolm Lewis, who has been plagued by injuries during his time at Miami, is back, faster and leaner than he has been since a gruesome ankle injury in 2012. And Herb Waters, who was limited by an injury this past spring, feels good too.
All three say they're ready to take on a new season and help their quarterback, whomever it may be, transition into his new role.
They're joined by Rashawn Scott and three talented freshmen — Braxton Berrios, Tyre Brady and David Njoku — that have performed well in camp and could challenge for playing time.
Combined, the entire group gives Miami depth it hasn't had at receiver recently and players and coaches say they're excited to see how that translates on the field.
"Catch every ball. Catch every ball," Miami offensive coordinator James Coley said.
"Those guys have had a great summer with their conditioning. They're really looking forward to showing they can handle it. I'm looking forward to watching them."
But as talented and fast as they may be, Miami's receivers know there are adjustments to make.
After catching passes from the graduated Stephen Morris and Ryan Williams, the projected starter who tore his ACL during spring practice, they've had to get used to working with Kansas transfer Jake Heaps, redshirt freshman Kevin Olsen and true freshmen Brad Kaaya and Malik Rosier.
The receivers say they've tried to spend as much time as possible working on their timing with all of the quarterbacks, and they're ready to do their part to make the transition as easy as possible for whichever one of the signal callers is under center this season
"Obviously, we don't know who's going to start. It doesn't really matter to us who it is. We just have to go out there and catch the ball," Dorsett said.
"Wherever they throw the ball, if it's in our vicinity, just catch it. That'll help the quarterback out a lot. Just tell him to throw the ball. We'll catch it."
ccabrera@tribune.com or Twitter @ChristyChirinos
By Christy Cabrera Chirinos, Sun Sentinel
8:53 pm, August 8, 2014
A season ago, Stacy Coley emerged as one of the most electrifying players in the ACC.
The Miami receiver was the only FBS player to score a touchdown four different ways, rushing for a score, catching seven touchdown passes and returning both a punt and a kickoff for scores.
He led the Hurricanes with 1,461 all-purpose yards and his 591 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches are tops among all the returning members of Miami's receiving corps.
Yet through the first four practices of Miami's season, the former Northeast High star hasn't been able to snag one of the highly-coveted orange jerseys coaches use to designate offensive leaders.
If there's anything that speaks volumes about the depth the Hurricanes have at receiver this season, the fact that Coley isn't wearing orange yet may be it.
"It's real competitive. Everybody's just going with the ones sometimes, going with the twos just to get the feel of the quarterbacks and get the competition right," Coley said. "Everyone's just competing right now."
Though Miami still doesn't know which of its four healthy quarterbacks will start when the Hurricanes open their season at Louisville on Sept. 1, it does know this: whoever is throwing the passes should have a talented group that, if healthy, will make life a lot easier for him.
Senior Phillip Dorsett, the former St. Thomas Aquinas standout who missed five games last season after tearing his MCL in Miami's win over North Carolina, is back and faster than ever, clocking an average time of 4.21 in the 40 when timed by Miami this offseason. He hit a low of 4.16, surprising even himself.
Former Miramar High star Malcolm Lewis, who has been plagued by injuries during his time at Miami, is back, faster and leaner than he has been since a gruesome ankle injury in 2012. And Herb Waters, who was limited by an injury this past spring, feels good too.
All three say they're ready to take on a new season and help their quarterback, whomever it may be, transition into his new role.
They're joined by Rashawn Scott and three talented freshmen — Braxton Berrios, Tyre Brady and David Njoku — that have performed well in camp and could challenge for playing time.
Combined, the entire group gives Miami depth it hasn't had at receiver recently and players and coaches say they're excited to see how that translates on the field.
"Catch every ball. Catch every ball," Miami offensive coordinator James Coley said.
"Those guys have had a great summer with their conditioning. They're really looking forward to showing they can handle it. I'm looking forward to watching them."
But as talented and fast as they may be, Miami's receivers know there are adjustments to make.
After catching passes from the graduated Stephen Morris and Ryan Williams, the projected starter who tore his ACL during spring practice, they've had to get used to working with Kansas transfer Jake Heaps, redshirt freshman Kevin Olsen and true freshmen Brad Kaaya and Malik Rosier.
The receivers say they've tried to spend as much time as possible working on their timing with all of the quarterbacks, and they're ready to do their part to make the transition as easy as possible for whichever one of the signal callers is under center this season
"Obviously, we don't know who's going to start. It doesn't really matter to us who it is. We just have to go out there and catch the ball," Dorsett said.
"Wherever they throw the ball, if it's in our vicinity, just catch it. That'll help the quarterback out a lot. Just tell him to throw the ball. We'll catch it."
ccabrera@tribune.com or Twitter @ChristyChirinos
