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Sports TwitterMiami 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.
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.
