Strides From One Other Key Receiver Remains Unnoticed for No. 1 Miami For Now

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Entering this past weekend's matchup against Florida State, No. 1 Miami (6-0, 4-0 ACC) knew that all eyes would be on superstar receiver Malachi Toney.

However, one player entered the game with a purple mask over his face, struggling to walk through warm-ups. Miami wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw was visibly ill on the sideline before, during, and after the game, but didn't change his play on the field.

The rising sophomore finished the game with four catches and 91 yards. It was his best game of the season, coming after feeling like the world was crashing around him. Miami had a flu bug go around the team during the week, and it was clear Upshaw caught it.

Nevertheless, he delivered a stellar game, and one his offensive coordinator wants to see more of consistently.

"He wasn't feeling great in that game," Shannon Dawson said on Upshaw during Monday's coaches' availability. "He battled through some stuff. He's tough, and he came through at some crucial times. That third down catch over there on the scramble that was big time. We needed that at that point in the game. And so there were people that stepped up in crucial times that were desperately needed, but that's your job."

Moreover, head coach Mario Cristobal also knows that playing at that level is what he expects out of the rising receiver. Upshaw has 17 catches, 220 yards, and two touchdowns this year. He has been a key No. 3 for Miami's offense, continuing to show his importance week after week.

Furthermore, Cristobal wants to see that level of play out of him consistently, knowing the style of player he is and how hard he works.

"Yeah, I think he embodied one of the things that Coach Dawson always preaches to our guys, is to take routine plays and execute them at a high level with max effort and ball security, and special things happen," Cristobal said on Upshaw.

"Like you saw the quick out route thrown to him, makes a guy miss, 15-yard gain. You saw early we had a tough time getting to the safeties from a blocking standpoint, and we missed one where Mark could have probably hit a really, really big run, but then later, him and the other guys, they lock up pretty good, and all of a sudden we're getting 20, 25, and 30-yard chunks in the run game.

"And, in overtime, he hits, the three technique, retrace, and actually grabbed him by the shoulder and swung him out of not ease course, on that one as well. So Daylyn is a guy that since the day he's gotten here, he's just put his head down and worked really hard, and he's starting to see so many positive results, and he's a guy that we all trust and is on his way to being a great player.

"So really, really proud of him and looking forward to him just getting more and more involved in the offense."

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