CORAL GABLES — Ray Ray Joseph did not need to stay at Miami.
The Hurricanes had Xavier Restrepo entrenched as the slot wide receiver, relegating Joseph to primarily a reserve and special teams role. The Miami Edison High alum was a four-star prospect who had offers from nearly three dozen programs in high school. Surely, one of those teams would be interested if he entered the transfer portal.
But Joseph bucked the trend, sticking with the Hurricanes and waiting for his opportunity to arise. With Restrepo heading to the NFL, that time is now.
“I came in with the mindset to work hard and compete, but honestly, man, whatever the coaches wanted me to do and needed me to do, I was going to do it,” Joseph said. “I’m a big team guy first. I’m not with the selfish stuff. I waited my turn, and I’m here to help everybody and get everybody together and get everybody on the same page. … A lot of people just up and run when they feel like they ain’t getting what they’re supposed to (get). Me? I’m just loyal — loyal to the program, loyal to the process, just trusting the process, keeping God first and just working.”
Joseph has 12 catches for 110 yards in two seasons at Miami, playing 135 total offensive snaps. He recognizes that some people in his position might have transferred. But Joseph is a “die-hard ‘Canes fan,” so he stuck it out.
“I always said it’s God’s timing,” Joseph said. “I had a great dude in front of me. We competed, we competed, we competed, we battled each other every day. I got him better. He got me better. And I knew. So I just waited my time, stayed down and waited my turn. … I’m a die-hard ‘Canes fan. I bleed orange and green, and it’s still the same thing. I wanted to just put the team first, and whatever the team needed, whatever the coaches needed, I was there to do it.”
Joseph said Restrepo taught him that speed is not the only factor — technique and fundamentals are keys to success in the slot role.
“Separation, when to break off stuff, leverage, win leverage to win your routes and when you’re given those open zones, get in those open spots,” Joseph said.
“I’m a fast guy, so I like to do everything fast when everything’s not required to be fast,” Joseph added. “So I had to really learn that. In high school, you’re just taught ‘Run, run, run, run.’ But a lot of stuff is not always just run, run, run, run, run. You’ve got to know when to pace it, when to be fast, when not to be fast. Restrepo taught me a lot of that. Restrepo taught me I ain’t got to be the fastest guy to get open.”
Joseph said he has added more than 20 pounds since he arrived at Miami, approaching 185 pounds this spring.
“I remember coming in here weighing a buck-nothing,” Joseph said. “Out there playing and getting hit and feeling everything. Now I feel stronger through contact. I feel way more explosive. I feel way faster. I’m glad I put on the weight. I thought it was going to slow me down, but it actually helped me tremendously. … I see a big difference.”
Now that Joseph is in a position to become a starter, he knows the players behind him like freshman Malachi Toney are going to be trying to edge him out for ...
