CORAL GABLES – It’s been a trying sophomore collegiate season for Ahmmon Richards.
The Miami wide receiver has been battling a hamstring injury since the beginning of this fall. In and out of games since his team’s season-opener against Bethune-Cookman, Richards has finally found a way to get back into the rotation.
There were some signs that the Wellington 2016 alum may still not be 100 percent healed from the injury, as evidenced by a series of uncharacteristic drops he had during Miami’s 27-19 win over Syracuse this past weekend.
When a reporter asked how he felt about dropping ‘2-3 passes’ against Syracuse, Richards promptly corrected her in the postgame presser.
“It was four,” Richards said, shaking his head in the process.
When asked further by another reporter if he ever had a situation like that before, Richards was succinct.
“Never,” he said. “I was a little too excited I would say. I was just trying to make a play, but it felt great just getting back in front of the fans and just being able to play a whole game.”
Despite the drops, Richards finished with six catches for a team-high 99 yards. And the Wellington product ended up with perhaps the most exciting play of the game, when he jumped over a Syracuse defender to complete a 21-yard reception from junior quarterback Malik Rosier.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it,” Richards said. “When I saw him, he was just sitting flat-footed, so I knew he was going to take a shot at me. I was already running full speed, so I just hurdled him.”
Richards spoke on how he’s really feeling right now as a player.
“I’m alright,” he said. “I’m getting back in the grove of a 60-minute game, but I’m alright.”
Miami head coach Mark Richt had a lot to say about how Richards fared against Syracuse.
“I think he was so anxious to score,” Richt said. “The one in the end zone, you tell them over and over and over – not him, all your receivers – you have to be so strong with your hands in that type of situation, because you know somebody is going to be right there trying to rake it out. We just got to be stronger with those hands. Another one he dropped, I think he knew he was about to score and he just kind of took his eyes off the ball a little bit. We’re not mad at him. We love Ahmmon. He’s a great player.”
Richards will most likely get plenty of opportunities to shine this weekend (Oct. 28; 12 p.m. kickoff) against North Carolina (1-7; 0-5 in ACC). He currently has 13 catches for 273 yards and one touchdown this season for Miami (6-0; 4-0 in ACC; No. 8 in the latest AP poll).
PHOTO CREDITS: Keith Forde
