Miami Hurricanes WR Colbie Young: Offense is dynamic, explosive … “we’re just more confident now, more together as team”

Miami Hurricanes WR Colbie Young was the team’s leading wide receiver production-wise a year ago, but he netted just 367 yards. This year should be a much different result for Young and the entire UM offense in a new hybrid Air-Raid system under coordinator Shannon Dawson.

The team will start to fully unveil it with Game 1 less than two weeks away vs. Miami (Ohio).

A final tune-up was this past Friday in the final fall scrimmage.

“I feel really good about how our offense is being more explosive, being more dynamic,” Young said. “We can still run the ball really well, have a room full of good backs who can take the top off a defense. They can catch, they can run, very fast, they get in open space they can take the ball 80 yards. When you have a good receiving corps like we have, we love to see backs that can get in space (and make plays), that makes the passing game way better.

“We are going fast, have a lot of playmakers. Tyler Van Dyke is a great quarterback, is putting the ball in areas that are amazing. So we’ve just been making plays, are all confident.”

As of now it appears Young will once again start, joined by slot Xavier Restrepo and likely Jacolby George.

But there is expected to be a heavy rotation that will also include Alabama speedster transfer Tyler Harrell, freshman future star Ray Ray Joseph and others.

“I’m excited knowing I’ll definitely see the field, have guys behind me that can compete for a starting (job), too,” Young said. “I’m ready to really show out what I’ve got.”

As for Young’s background? Last year after arriving from junior college he got his chance and made the most of it – he had back-to-back 100-yard games vs. Virginia Tech and Duke, and appeared ready to emerge on the national scene.

But after that 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.

Now, under a new receivers coach in Kevin Beard, Young says “He helped me find myself for sure.”

“He has a standard where I have to elevate my game to where I’m not doing things wrong,” Young said. “He wants me to be better as a receiver – how can I take my game to the next level? So if I’m doing well in college he wants to see me play like you’re in the NFL right now.”

This year it should be a much different outlook for Young and the Miami receivers.

“We’re definitely better than where we left off,” Young said. “We had a spring under our belt, working in fall, better than where we were.”

A final thought from Young?

“Definitely we are a little better than last year,” Young said. “Not knocking last year, but we had little injuries here and there. We’re just more confident now, more together as team. Great O line, great quarterback, great running backs. Combine that all together, the receiving room we just have to catch the ball at that point.”

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