Montigo Moss is prepared for his breakout season at UMaine
Montigo Moss finds himself in a brand new function this season for the College of Maine’s soccer group.
The large receiver and son of Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame receiver Randy Moss is the Black Bears’ prime returning pass-catcher and can garner a number of consideration from opposing secondaries this season.
“I’m hoping they double-team me. In the event that they do, that can go away one other receiver with a one-on-one,” Moss mentioned.
Moss caught 35 passes final season for 398 yards. Each have been career-highs. He was third on the group in each classes behind the departed Zavier Scott (42 catches-434 yards) and Kobay White (37-for-411).
The native of Charlotte, North Carolina, led the group in landing receptions with six.
UMaine second-year head coach Jordan Stevens expects Moss to have an enormous yr.
“He’s a possession man. He has nice arms and nice physique management,” Stevens mentioned. “Should you throw the ball round his neighborhood, he has the power to return down with it.”
Moss is in the perfect form he’s ever been, the coach added.
“I anticipate him having a extremely productive and constant yr on each down,” Stevens mentioned.
UMaine junior cornerback Kahzir “Buggs” Brown, who goes up in opposition to Moss in apply, mentioned Moss might not be the most important (6-foot-1, 220 kilos) or quickest receiver round, “but when he will get his arms on the ball, he’s going to catch it.”
“You undoubtedly have your arms full while you’re up in opposition to him,” Brown mentioned. “He is a good receiver, he is a good route-runner and he’s well-balanced. He doesn’t simply do one factor nicely, he can do a number of issues nicely.”
Brown mentioned after they want somebody to make an enormous play, Moss comes by way of for them. Moss has proven the power to make one-handed catches.
And he’s purposely taken on extra of a management function this season, particularly within the large receivers room.
“That was my primary mindset for this yr. Enhance vocally on the sector, off the sector. Bringing vitality and simply serving to everybody round me,” Moss mentioned. “I’ve been attempting to assist the youthful guys and the brand new guys who’re filling roles to have the ability to fill the spots to the perfect of their means.”
He’s on the group’s management council, which features a group of gamers that interacts with the gamers and the coaches.
“We’ve got challenged him to change into extra of a pacesetter and he has actually risen to that problem,” Stevens mentioned. “When he speaks, he instructions the room. He has the ears of his teammates. I’m actually happy with the progress he has made.”
Moss is aware of he shall be coping with double groups and tight coverages, and mentioned he intends to look at a number of videotape on opposing cornerbacks and safeties to attempt to get a deal with on what he can exploit.
“I’ll see what occurs as the sport goes by so will probably be about enhancing from the primary snap to the tip of the sport,” he defined.
Senior quarterback Derek Robertson mentioned Moss means loads to the offense.
“He’s a really dynamic participant,” Robertson mentioned. “We wanted somebody to step up and take a management function in our receivers room and he has carried out precisely that. He labored extraordinarily laborious within the offseason and has gotten greater, stronger and quicker. He works laborious on his craft.”
Huge receivers coach Mikahael Waters mentioned Moss has had an ideal coaching camp and is able to take the subsequent step.
“He’s one in all our greatest rivals,” Waters mentioned.
The Black Bears have a brand new offensive coordinator in Steve Cooper and Moss mentioned the brand new offense Cooper has put in has been a optimistic improvement.
“We get pleasure from it,” Moss mentioned. “We’ve had two actually good back-to-back days of apply. All camp has been actually good. We’ve had the brand new offense since spring so for under having it for 4 or 5 months, I feel we’re doing rather well.”
UMaine opens its season at Florida Worldwide College in Miami on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 6:30 p.m.
