DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — Three Miami University football players who weren't members of the first string at the end of spring practice have worked their way into the starting lineup for the RedHawks' season opener Thursday night at Ball State.

The new starters include a pair of wide receivers, redshirt freshman Armond Robinson, junior Jared Elliott and a cornerback, sophomore Jeff Thompson.

"I think our wide receivers are going to surprise people as a unit," Miami coach Shane Montgomery said Monday morning at his first weekly press conference of the year.

By now it's an old story. Ryne Robinson and his 90 receptions and 1,178 yards were lost to graduation, along with R.J. Corbin, Patrick O'Bryan and Ryan Busing.

That leaves only two wideouts who have caught a college pass: Dustin Woods and Sean McVay. And McVay will miss the opener because of an injured thumb.

The 6-foot-1, 197-pound Armand Robinson did not play last year, but he is one of several wideouts who have been sensational this summer. He brings a combination of strength and speed to his position.

Woods and Robinson will be backed up by redshirt freshman Eugene Harris,

"who has big-play talent," according to Montgomery, and true freshman Chris Givens, "who has a lot of athletic ability and is very smart."

Another big-play possibility, Montgomery said, comes in the form of true freshman Jamal Rogers, "one of the fastest players on the team, a tremendous talent with the ball in his hands."

Elliott, the former quarterback from Franklin, Tenn., will start at the inside wide receiver position.

"Jared gives us a big body inside when he has to go against linebackers," Montgomery said of Elliott's 6-5, 232-pound frame, "and who also is a big blocker."

Thompson is starting at cornerback ahead of Wendell Brunson, who underwent knee surgery in April and was "very limited" heading into summer camp, Montgomery said. "(Brunson is) close to 100 percent right now."

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.