Miami Hurricanes WR Colbie Young has dropped weight, ready to make impact in new Shannon Dawson offense

Miami Hurricanes WR Colbie Young began last season on the bench after arriving from junior college, in part because he was banged up during fall drills and also because he was still catching (pardon the pun) onto the playbook after arriving in the summer.

Then he got his chance. And took full advantage of it. Young had back-to-back 100-yard games vs. Virginia Tech and Duke, and appeared ready to emerge on the national scene.

That never happened.

He faded into the background as Miami’s passing game faltered. He never surpassed 46 receiving yards in any other game on the season. Pro Football Focus graded him out at 63.0 percent overall (70 is considered a good grade). He played 395 reps and had a 67.8 receiving grade and 32.1 run blocking grade.

Young ended with 32 catches for 367 yards and five TDs, leading the receivers in yards … in a not-real-good year for the receiver room.

Now Young is working mainly with the ones through two Miami fall practices and is ready for the competition that comes with drills.

“Coach KB (WR coach Kevin Beard) is trying to build that old how they used to play when he had a lot of competition in his room (with Beard a former Miami Hurricane),” Young said. “He wants to build the best receivers, wants us to be dawgs.”

Young says the goal is for him to become a more complete receiver. To that end he said he trimmed down some fat to help him be faster and in better shape. He’s lost nine pounds since arriving at UM last year (at 6-5, went from 222 to 213).

“(It was to) become stronger, put on more muscle – battle with those DBs, take advantage of mismatches,” Young said.

A refresher on Young’s background: He chose Miami out of Lackawanna (Pa.) Junior College last year, and the main competitors were Jacksonville State and Arkansas State. Young had no scholarship offers out of high school and spent just one year at JUCO – he had 24 catches for 472 yards and nine TDs in nine games there. He showed enough to pique Miami’s interest.

While he began on the bench for Miami, by Game 6 he was a starter, and he never relinquished that role.

A final thought from Young after Wednesday’s practice?

“The receiver room as a whole, we’re definitely coming together, making a lot of big plays down the field,” Young said.

*Of newcomers Tyler Harrell and Shemar Kirk, Young said, “They are very fast receivers, can create space, create separation, are great playmakers, very confident receivers,” Young said.