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OXFORD — It was obvious from the start that Chris Givens was mature beyond his years.

Last season as an 18-year-old true freshman, Givens led Miami University's receivers in yards per catch (17.2).

In only his second collegiate game, he nearly brought down the Minnesota Golden Gophers, grabbing five passes for 112 yards. Late in the fourth quarter, Givens scored a 23-yard touchdown that was part of a 16-point comeback, sending the game to overtime.

Givens, who started five games last fall at wide receiver, is expected to be a full-time starter this season as he uses his maturity and size (6-foot-2, 207 pounds) to navigate the dangerous and demanding inside routes.

"It's a little different. I'm blessed to be starting," Givens said. "I'm not splitting my playing time. My role is to bring my leadership to the receiving corps and to help in whatever way I can."

Givens said he also was blessed in his childhood in Chillicothe. "A childhood dream," he called it, "a sports town, family friendly, a close-knit community. A very good place to grow up."

He said his father, Nicholas Givens, was a major influence on the way his character has grown and matured.

"He's shown me how to be a real man, a person of character," Givens said. "He always taught me you put God first, and then the family, and to treat everyone with respect and to love life, no matter what comes at you.

"At first I had a lot of

immaturity," he continued, "but the older I got, I began to understand things. To be honest, regardless of who you come across, you never know, that person might help you out in life."

Another influence for Givens is another sport, far removed from the physical and emotional stresses of football.

"I started playing golf my sophomore year in high school," he said. "It's just a place to relax. Even though it's a sport and you're out there trying to do your best, you can also spend time thinking about things you can't think about when you're playing football.

"I'm a very spiritual person," Givens added. "I think about my spiritual life, about my future. It's a way to clear my mind, to relax and to enjoy the moment."

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.