RedHawks RB competition heats up

Merriweather moves ahead of Green on depth chart

Thomas Merriweather (34) of Miami looks for an opening in the line during the Redhawk scrimmage game Saturday, August 22, 2009.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:21 AM Tuesday, September 1, 2009

OXFORD — The Miami University tailback situation that has become a ping pong ball is back on Thomas Merriweather’s side of the table.

Miami head coach Mike Haywood confirmed Monday, Aug. 31, during his weekly news conference that the junior running back from Florissant, Mo., is back with the first string. Merriweather is likely to start in the RedHawks’ opener against Kentucky.

Redshirt freshman Danny Green had replaced Merriweather as the starting tailback in the depth chart released a week earlier. Now Green is back at No. 2.

“I think competition is great,” Haywood said. “The best player is going to play.”

Apparently, that prospect took a few days to sink in for Merriweather, who led Miami with 547 yards rushing last season, but whose 3.9-yard average was third behind teammates J.R. Taylor (4.9) and Andre Bratton (4.6).

“Merriweather didn’t respond appropriately for 2-3 days (after being demoted),” Haywood noted. “Then that fire was lit because he realized this was for real, thought ‘I’d better pick my A game up.’ He’s been playing better.”

Bratton, a senior who has been plagued by injuries, is the No. 3 tailback. He replaces sophomore J.R. Taylor, who has left the team, Haywood said later Monday via his Twitter account.

“Bratton is back now and adds another dimension to the offense,” Haywood said. “He’s faster than any of them.”

The Miami coach said tailback is the most competitive position on the team right now, followed by linebacker and wide receiver.

“The linebackers are fighting for spots every day,” he said.

Last week the first-string lineup for the linebackers were redshirt freshman Jaycee Swanson in the middle and senior Caleb Bostic and redshirt freshman Luke Kelly on the outside.

As of Monday, the probable starters were sophomore Jerrell Wedge in the middle and true freshmen Evan Harris and Wes Williams on the outside.

Last week, Williams was a second-string defensive end and Harris wasn’t even on the two-deep chart.

“These guys came in with a different mentality,” Haywood said of the team’s true freshmen. “They came in to get a job. We set our practices up to give the freshmen an opportunity to learn their positions ... A lot of these freshmen are going to start.”

Saturday’s gameWho: Miami RedHawks vs. Kentucky Wildcats at Paul Brown Stadium, CincinnatiWhen: NoonTV: ESPNURadio: WMOH-AM (1450), WPFB-AM (910), WPFB-FM (105.9), WONE-AM (980), WCKY-AM (1530)

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