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Grad transfer WR KJ Osborn transferred into Miami back in January in time to participate in spring ball. Someone had to tell him, though, that spring practice didn’t start until March.
"I love it. I'm glad to be here, just being out here at practice,” Osborn said. “It's funny because when I committed here, I was thinking I was just going to jump right into spring ball, but we had to do winter workouts, but it's fun. I'm enjoying it."
In the past two months, Osborn has already made a name for himself within the team, leading workouts and earning a reputation for being a hard-worker.
"When I first came in, I knew they were young and I just wanted to lead by example,” Osborn said. “I know being a fifth-year guy, I didn't want to step on anybody's toes, like the older guys like Shaq [Quarterman] and ‘Pinck’ [Michael Pinckney].
“So I learned, with the coaches as well, how things go at Miami and then I did what I do - just working hard. I see when they need help - different guys take coaching different ways. So I'm just trying to learn and create relationships with different guys and interact with them and talk with them so I know which ways to help with them. I've seen film on guys so we can just make each other better. I do extra work and try to call guys out with me and just make everybody better because that's how we're going to be good."
Even though he’s a transfer, Osborn is learning a brand-new offense along with everyone else with the arrival of new OC Dan Enos. What has he seen from Enos’ offense?
“There’ll be a lot of shifts, motions,” Osborn said. “I like to learn all the spots so coach can throw me in at any position.”
In the end, Osborn said he chose UM over rival Florida State, and actually had multiple connections to the Noles. However, the relationship he built with Director of Recruiting David Cooney was a big reason he ended up choosing Miami.
“I originally talked to coach (Ron) Dugans and he’s good friends with my high school wide receiver coach, EG Green, who played at Florida State,” Osborn said. “When the offensive staff got let go, I talked to coach (David) Cooney and we just connected. Miami was a good fit, and the relationship with coach Cooney (was a factor). I spoke to Tyree St. Louis, Mike Harley, Deejay Dallas, things like that. It was a good fit.”
A major difference between Miami and Buffalo? Osborn says it’s the weather.
“It’s Miami, I don’t know how else to explain it,” Osborn said. “The weather, I’m a Michigan guy, but don’t like the winter. On the field, it’s college football. I’m learning being the older guy; in the meeting rooms I hear a lot of the same things coaches said at Buffalo.”
**Junior defensive end Jon Garvin is spending this spring adjusting to a new starting D-Line unit, as well as new DL coach Todd Stroud.
"Different places have to be filled in, adjusting to the coach - but it's been great,” Garvin said. “[Stroud’s] been great so far. Everybody's been cooperating. We have to find consistency within each other and within ourselves, so that's what it's been. We still have a lot of guys from last year and even the year before. So we just stick together real tight, like a family, and whoever comes in will be part of our new family."
What’s the biggest difference he’s noticed with Stroud now at coach?
"Just different techniques,” Garvin said. “I'll say it's a great thing actually because we're learning techniques from a bunch of different guys and he's bringing his own technique, his own flavor and I believe it's going to help us win."
Another addition to the line is expected to arrive in the summer in the form of Virginia Tech grad transfer Trevon Hill. Garvin compares the senior leadership he’s seen from Osborn so far to what he hopes Hill will bring to the defensive line.
“I’m looking forward to him getting here,” Garvin said. “Honestly, KJ has really set the standard for me so I expect (Hill) to come in and be like that. He has been amazing - he’s come in, been a leader, working hard and everyone can see it. You can’t deny it.”
**Of his mindset to start spring practice, junior CB Trajan Bandy feels that coming to camp every day with a competitive attitude is a key to his success.
"I really just want to go out there and compete, try and go against every guy and compete, every receiver,” Bandy said. “Pretty much just trying to get hands on every guy and the ultimate goal is to come out with a win. That's what I've been doing. I've been competing hard and just getting after it."
With Michael Jackson graduated and off to the NFL, it has been Bandy that has stepped into the #1 corner role, and he feels he is well-prepared for the responsibility.
"I've always been confident. I've been playing since my freshman year, so it's spring going into my junior year and I have to be a leader in the secondary. I've just been getting after it. I've been going hard and always keep that confidence. At my position, you have to have that confidence. I think I've been doing a great job of that."
Bandy also gave his take on two WR that have been tough covers so far in practice.
On Mike Harley: “Harley is really good - he’s quick, fast, isn’t going to let you touch him.”
On Osborn: "He looks good. He runs his routes hard. He looks just like everyone else. He's a good guy, off the field too. He works hard, has tremendous work ethic. He was a leader the first day he stepped on campus. His work-ethic is really what separates him from everyone else. He works after practice, he catches a million balls if you see it. He gets after it. He's a good kid."
Opposite Bandy, sophomores Al Blades and DJ Ivey have been battling to start and Bandy says that the pair are advanced for their age.
“They know exactly what to do - they were in the system last year,” Bandy said. “I think both of them have (done well). They tell me things I don’t know. Those guys learn the game fast, pick up on things very well.”
"I love it. I'm glad to be here, just being out here at practice,” Osborn said. “It's funny because when I committed here, I was thinking I was just going to jump right into spring ball, but we had to do winter workouts, but it's fun. I'm enjoying it."
In the past two months, Osborn has already made a name for himself within the team, leading workouts and earning a reputation for being a hard-worker.
"When I first came in, I knew they were young and I just wanted to lead by example,” Osborn said. “I know being a fifth-year guy, I didn't want to step on anybody's toes, like the older guys like Shaq [Quarterman] and ‘Pinck’ [Michael Pinckney].
“So I learned, with the coaches as well, how things go at Miami and then I did what I do - just working hard. I see when they need help - different guys take coaching different ways. So I'm just trying to learn and create relationships with different guys and interact with them and talk with them so I know which ways to help with them. I've seen film on guys so we can just make each other better. I do extra work and try to call guys out with me and just make everybody better because that's how we're going to be good."
Even though he’s a transfer, Osborn is learning a brand-new offense along with everyone else with the arrival of new OC Dan Enos. What has he seen from Enos’ offense?
“There’ll be a lot of shifts, motions,” Osborn said. “I like to learn all the spots so coach can throw me in at any position.”
In the end, Osborn said he chose UM over rival Florida State, and actually had multiple connections to the Noles. However, the relationship he built with Director of Recruiting David Cooney was a big reason he ended up choosing Miami.
“I originally talked to coach (Ron) Dugans and he’s good friends with my high school wide receiver coach, EG Green, who played at Florida State,” Osborn said. “When the offensive staff got let go, I talked to coach (David) Cooney and we just connected. Miami was a good fit, and the relationship with coach Cooney (was a factor). I spoke to Tyree St. Louis, Mike Harley, Deejay Dallas, things like that. It was a good fit.”
A major difference between Miami and Buffalo? Osborn says it’s the weather.
“It’s Miami, I don’t know how else to explain it,” Osborn said. “The weather, I’m a Michigan guy, but don’t like the winter. On the field, it’s college football. I’m learning being the older guy; in the meeting rooms I hear a lot of the same things coaches said at Buffalo.”
**Junior defensive end Jon Garvin is spending this spring adjusting to a new starting D-Line unit, as well as new DL coach Todd Stroud.
"Different places have to be filled in, adjusting to the coach - but it's been great,” Garvin said. “[Stroud’s] been great so far. Everybody's been cooperating. We have to find consistency within each other and within ourselves, so that's what it's been. We still have a lot of guys from last year and even the year before. So we just stick together real tight, like a family, and whoever comes in will be part of our new family."
What’s the biggest difference he’s noticed with Stroud now at coach?
"Just different techniques,” Garvin said. “I'll say it's a great thing actually because we're learning techniques from a bunch of different guys and he's bringing his own technique, his own flavor and I believe it's going to help us win."
Another addition to the line is expected to arrive in the summer in the form of Virginia Tech grad transfer Trevon Hill. Garvin compares the senior leadership he’s seen from Osborn so far to what he hopes Hill will bring to the defensive line.
“I’m looking forward to him getting here,” Garvin said. “Honestly, KJ has really set the standard for me so I expect (Hill) to come in and be like that. He has been amazing - he’s come in, been a leader, working hard and everyone can see it. You can’t deny it.”
**Of his mindset to start spring practice, junior CB Trajan Bandy feels that coming to camp every day with a competitive attitude is a key to his success.
"I really just want to go out there and compete, try and go against every guy and compete, every receiver,” Bandy said. “Pretty much just trying to get hands on every guy and the ultimate goal is to come out with a win. That's what I've been doing. I've been competing hard and just getting after it."
With Michael Jackson graduated and off to the NFL, it has been Bandy that has stepped into the #1 corner role, and he feels he is well-prepared for the responsibility.
"I've always been confident. I've been playing since my freshman year, so it's spring going into my junior year and I have to be a leader in the secondary. I've just been getting after it. I've been going hard and always keep that confidence. At my position, you have to have that confidence. I think I've been doing a great job of that."
Bandy also gave his take on two WR that have been tough covers so far in practice.
On Mike Harley: “Harley is really good - he’s quick, fast, isn’t going to let you touch him.”
On Osborn: "He looks good. He runs his routes hard. He looks just like everyone else. He's a good guy, off the field too. He works hard, has tremendous work ethic. He was a leader the first day he stepped on campus. His work-ethic is really what separates him from everyone else. He works after practice, he catches a million balls if you see it. He gets after it. He's a good kid."
Opposite Bandy, sophomores Al Blades and DJ Ivey have been battling to start and Bandy says that the pair are advanced for their age.
“They know exactly what to do - they were in the system last year,” Bandy said. “I think both of them have (done well). They tell me things I don’t know. Those guys learn the game fast, pick up on things very well.”
