Marcellius Pulliam putting in the work with 4:30 a.m. wakeup time, prepping for bright Miami Hurricanes future: “I will be ready”
Miami Hurricanes LB signee Marcellius Pulliam, out of Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek High School, isn’t exactly sitting around counting the days till he arrives at UM.
He’s getting to work as if he’s already enrolled at Miami.
Pulliam wakes up every day at 4:30 a.m. so he can roll into school at 5 a.m. for workouts before the school day. After school he runs track – the 100, 200 and 4×1 – and then does homework, grabs some dinner and is in bed by 10 p.m.
Wash, rinse and repeat.
“It’s going well with the Miami workout plan, but even before they sent the plan I was lifting every day,” Pulliam said. “I work out, handle my academics, after that it’s track. Hard work and dedication comes with this game, I have to stand by it.”
Pulliam has also gotten a peek at the Miami defensive playbook and is studying that on what little free time he has.
“I have a lot of learning to do,” Pulliam said. “I’m not going to say it’s all cake and ice cream. But I’ll have it down pat before I get there.”
Pulliam says he hopes to report to Miami in May for Summer A but that depending on his transcripts he might not make it until June.
He played mainly middle linebacker in high school and says coaches told him he will start out there at Miami. With Corey Flagg a returning starter and Francisco Mauigoa transferring in and standing out this spring, Pulliam has his work cut out to make an impact on defense.
“I watched the spring game (on TV), [Mauigoa] was moving sideline to sideline. Francisco is a big dude, moving well.”
Pulliam could be a stellar special teams player in Year 1 at 6-3 and 220 pounds.
“That’s up five pounds from the season,” Pulliam said. “My senior year I was about 215 and when I get to Miami I want to be a solid 225.”
While Pulliam wasn’t able to get down to UM to watch spring drills, he’s been in regular contact with linebackers coach Derek Nicholson.
“He just wants me to work hard when I’m here, be conditioned so I can move sideline to sideline,” Pulliam said. “He wants me to be ready, and I will be ready.”
Pulliam has the size and speed to be a bigtime player for Miami whenever he gets his opportunity – his personal best in the 100 in track is 11.83 seconds, and in the 200 it’s 24.65.
His goals in Year 1?
“My goal is to come in and work hard, play as a freshman, win games and just be able to come in and contribute to the team as soon as possible,” Pulliam said. “I’m excited. I wish I could have enrolled early, but I’ve been working.
“I’m looking forward to getting down there, perfecting my craft.”
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