The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Miami university football First Practice

Spots up in air as practice begins

Raudabaugh has the early edge for No. 1 quarterback, but Belton will also get a chance to grab position.

By Pete Conrad

Staff Writer

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

OXFORD — The Miami RedHawks held their first summer practice Monday, Aug. 4, at Yager Stadium with several spots in the starting lineup still up for grabs.

Coach Shane Montgomery said he still hasn't decided on a starter at quarterback, one cornerback position and the right side of his interior offensive line.

"If we started today, Daniel Raudabaugh would start at quarterback," Montgomery said of the junior from Coppell, Texas, who completed 209 passes for 2,431 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions a year ago.

"But that competition is open," he emphasized. "We're not naming a starter yet. Daniel obviously has a leg up on experience. Clay Belton (redshirt freshman from Clayton Northmont High School) has a lot of potential, and we'll put him in with the (starters), too, and let him show us what he can do."

Three offensive linemen vying for two positions are Ken Staudinger, a redshirt freshman tackle from Canton; Brandon Brooks, a redshirt freshman guard from Milwaukee; and Bob Gulley, a sophomore from Berea who can play both tackle and guard.

Gulley, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 295 pounds, has not only flexibility but also experience. He started three games last season at right guard.

The RedHawks haven't established a starter at tailback, but it doesn't matter much since junior Andre Bratton and sophomore Thomas Merriweather both are expected to see a lot of playing time.

Miami's defense is slightly more settled, except for cornerback, where junior Jeff Thompson is expected to start at one of the two positions.

The other starting cornerback will be junior Wendell Brunson of Fort Pierce, Fla., or sophomore Brandon Stephens of Strongsville, both of whom are coming off health issues.

Brunson started three games last fall, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in June and is expected to be back at full strength soon. Last year he recorded 18 tackles and had an interception.

Stephens, who sat out spring practice with an ankle injury, played in all 13 games last year and had 14 tackles.

Among the other RedHawks who have returned to the field after missing spring workouts for physical reasons are Bratton, Thompson, junior wide receiver Dustin Woods and junior outside linebacker Caleb Bostic.

Single-practice sessions will continue until two-a-day sessions begin Saturday.

Reds insider news by e-mail

Our Reds Connection e-mail newsletter contains exclusive insider news on the Reds that you can't get elsewhere — not even on our web site.

See Sample | Privacy Policy
View All

Top Jobs


From our partners at WHIO-TV

Top video story



Save on groceries

paper coupons
Free coupons

Browse more than 100 new coupons to save on items you use everyday. > More

From our partners at WHIO Radio


Copyright © Sun Jul 05 17:34:38 EDT 2009 Cox Ohio Publishing, Dayton, Ohio, USA. All rights reserved.

By using this site, you accept the terms of our Visitors Agreement and Privacy Policy. You may wish to note our other business policies.