At Miami, known as the Cradle of Coaches, a 9–14 record through two seasons simply isn’t good enough. So it’s no surprise that there’s pressure on Shane Montgomery to get things turned around in his third full season in Oxford.

A year ago, the injury-plagued RedHawks stumbled through a 2–10 season that featured four losses (all in league play) by three points or less. Montgomery is hoping that better health will lead to improved depth and more consistency in the running game — something that will help take pressure off fifth-year senior quarterback Mike Kokal.

Quarterbacks
Kokal performed well last season under constant pressure. He finished second in the conference in passing and total offense and third on his team in rushing while operating an offense that typically does not ask the quarterback to run the ball. Kokal was pushed by the pressure of a quarterback competition that had Daniel Raudabaugh breathing down his neck. Raudabaugh is more impressive physically and has a stronger arm, but he doesn’t have Kokal’s experience. True freshman Clay Belton, one of the gems of the recruiting class, arrives in the fall with a ton of hype.

Running Backs
Brandon Murphy was bothered all season by an ankle injury that limited him to only 280 yards in nine games. In one game against Akron in 2005, he gained 184 yards en route to a 1,000-yard season. Returning to that level would make Miami’s offense more versatile. Andre Bratton did a commendable job helping fill the void, rushing for a team-high 285 yards on a 4.5-yard average. Senior Austin Sykes (2.9 ypc) will also be in the mix.

Receivers
The RedHawks lost six receivers from last year’s team, with the most notable loss being burner Ryne Robinson, who set school career records for catches and yards. As a result, the wide receiver picture is wide open. Dustin Woods showed big-play capability as a redshirt freshman, leading Miami in average yards per catch (20.2) and scoring four touchdowns. He must recover from offseason shoulder surgery. True freshman Jamal Rogers, a high school sprinter from Florida, is a newcomer who could step right into the rotation.

2007 Schedule
A. 30	at Ball State	*
S. 8	at Minnesota	L
S. 15	Cincinnati	L
S. 22	at Colorado	L
S. 29	Syracuse	*
O. 6	at Kent State	L
O. 13	Bowling Green	*
O. 20	at Temple	W
O. 27	at Vanderbilt	L
N. 3	Buffalo	W
N. 14	Akron	*
N. 24	at Ohio	L
Games in bold represent swing games. W or L indicates a projected win or loss.

Offensive Linemen
Recurring injuries to left tackle Charlie Norden and right guard Matt McKeown last season created opportunities for tackles Dave DiFranco and Steve Sutter and guard Josh Satterthwait. All five are back, along with Steve Meister, who’s made 23 consecutive starts at left guard. Meister has been shifted over to center to replace undersized Steve Kosky, who started all 12 games last season as a senior. DiFranco takes over for Meister, and Sutter moves into the starting lineup at right tackle.

Defensive Linemen 
Starting tackles Otto Linwood and Seth Painter and end Tranaine Sills all decided to not return as fifth-year seniors. That leaves Miami a little thin up front. Senior end Craig Mester is a returning starter. Junior Joe Coniglio should step in for Sills after making eight starts and leading the team with five sacks last season. Ben Huddle, a fourth-year junior with limited experience in part due to injury problems, and Mark Paun are the projected starting tackles.

Linebackers
Joey Hudson was Miami’s top performer in his first season as the starter in the middle. He led the team with 97 tackles and tied for the conference lead and ranked third nationally among linebackers with five interceptions. Outside linebacker Clayton Mullins was second on the team with 91 tackles as a sophomore, leaving the RedHawks with just the other outside spot to fill. That should go to sophomore Caleb Bostic, who played in 11 games last season.

Defensive Backs
Graduated free safety Joey Card was Miami’s only first-team all-conference defensive selection. Jordan Gafford showed big-play capabilities as Card’s backup. Junior strong safety Robbie Wilson ranks third among returning RedHawks with 59 tackles, and fifth-year senior Jerrid Gaines returns for his second season as one starting cornerback after racking up 49 tackles and two interceptions last season. Sophomores Wendell Brunson and Jeff Thompson will battle for the other cornerback spot. Brunson made one start last season.

Specialists
The record-setting Robinson isn’t around to terrorize opposing punt teams any more. Thompson, the likely replacement, has no experience. The RedHawks, however, are set in the kicking department — Trevor Cook made 10-of-13 field goals as a true freshman, and Jacob Richardson averaged 41.1 yards per punt.  Miami’s main concern is how sophomore long-snapper Chase Collins will perform in place of dependable four-year starter Dave McClain.

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