Miami Holds Final Practice Before Sunday Scrimmage

CORAL GABLES, Fla.-The University of Miami held its last practice before its first scrimmage of fall camp, spending just under two hours on the Greentree Practice Fields Saturday afternoon. The session was the second half of the team’s second two-a-day of camp.

With seven days and nine practices in the books, attention now turns to Sunday’s scrimmage, which is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. and is closed to both the media and public.

After working through several special teams drills to start, the team moved into a few group drills before working in 7-on-7 and eventually 11-on-11 situations to end the action.

HOLTON, SANDERS NOW AT FULLBACK
Veterans C.J. Holton and Billy Sanders are now working under running backs coach Terry Richardson as fullbacks. Previously a linebacker, Holton has appeared in 25 career games – mostly on special teams – over the last two seasons. Sanders, a former tight end, redshirted in 2009 and appeared in six games a season ago. Sanders enters the season as a sophomore, while Holton is a junior.

HIGH PERFORMANCE PLAYERS
Throughout camp, HurricaneSports.com will highlight some of the best performers in each day’s practice. While there are certainly other players who stood out throughout the course of the session, these student-athletes in particular caught our eye.

Offense
WR LaRon Byrd – Byrd has been the Canes’ most consistent receiver through the first week of camp and Saturday afternoon was no different. The senior caught everything thrown his way today as Jacory Harris seemed to find him every opportunity he had. Byrd, who has 95 catches for 1,129 yards in his UM career, seems to be ready to go for his final season with the Canes.

WR Allen Hurns– Byrd may have had the best day, but Hurns was right there with him. If the sophomore is going to work his way into the starting rotation, it is going to be because of performances like today. On several occasions the Miami native found a gap deep in the secondary and pulled in some long receptions during 7-on-7 action.

Defense
DB Mike Williams– The transfer from Wake Forest continues to play well in his first Canes Camp. With several pass break-ups and an interception, Williams stood out in both 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work. With the loss of its top three corners from a season ago (all of whom are currently in NFL camps), veterans like Williams are being looked at to fill the void.

DL Ricardo Williams– The newcomer might have had his best practice of camp Saturday afternoon. The towering freshman from Homestead was consistently beating his man off the ball and getting into the backfield more often than most. He would have accounted for several sacks and TFL’s if the team had been going full contact.

TALE OF TWO HOURS
Although it shouldn’t be much of a surprise with it being summertime in South Florida, the Canes’ afternoon session was another but ordinary.

The first hour of practice was the hottest of camp, with the heat index reaching an impressive 113 in the 3 o’clock hour. But it wasn’t before too long that a storm closing in on campus quickly cooled temperatures with a consistent wind and overcast skies in the practice’s second hour. Thankfully, the Canes were able to get in the end of practice before the slow-moving storm made its way.

PHOTO GALLERY: PRACTICE #10
Click HEREfor a photo gallery of some of the action from Greentree this afternoon.

SEASON TIX
Season Tickets for the start of the CLICKING HERE.