Aubrey Hill's Impact Felt on Miami Offense

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

Fifteen years ago, I shared a classroom with Aubrey Hill, then a WR for Florida while we were both students in Gainesville. This year the young Miami receiving corp learned in Aubrey Hill's classroom. The former Gator standout turned the young Canes receivers into complete players by year's end. Next season with Kendell Thompkins and Tommy Streeter also joining the group, Hill's impact could be astronomical. For the first time in years, Miami's receivers are doing the little things right when the ball isn't thrown their way. This group of receivers also showed a willingness to fight for balls and never to quit on routes. The last several seasons this was not the case with the Canes WRs.

As the season progressed you could see the young freshman receivers improve. Laron Byrd by season's end was a crisp route runner who blocked well down field. Thearon Collier became more of a threat on non screen pass plays and Travis Benjamin's route running resembled that of a veteran receiver. My one disappointment among the freshman WR's was Aladarius Johnson who entered the Miami program at a much higher level than his fellow first year receivers, but ended the year as a player who couldn't make big plays when needed.

Leonard Hankerson a non factor as a freshman and in the doghouse much of this season ended the year playing well. Sam Shields whose career peaked as a freshman with 37 catches only caught 11 balls this year but contributed elsewhere.

Hill made his impact felt on Miami's offense in his first year on the staff. For the first time since 2002, Miami enters a new season without significant question marks at the WR position. Now the Canes have to work on erasing the question marks that have popped up at almost every position on the defensive side of the ball.