Brashard Smith says Kevin Beard is 'by far' the best position coach he's had

The U has one of its own back in the saddle. After a few years coaching wide receivers at Toledo, Miami hired former player Kevin Beard to return home and occupy the same position on Mario Cristobal’s staff.

Apparently, the new addition is already going swimmingly, at least according to the players in his position group. One of those guys, Brashard Smith, raved about Beard’s impact on the receiver room at spring practice media availability the other day.

“The best coach I’ve ever had,” Smith declared of Beard less than a month after he got the gig. “Receiver-wise, he’s teaching me everything — like the little things and just my routes and getting up on a defender and stuff like that. I feel like it’s a big change for me and the younger guys coming in.”

Like most younger players, Brashard Smith admits that the college game was a bit too fast for him in his first few years. But now as a veteran, he’s catching up.

“I feel like for me it’s just slowing down, like the game, like trying to go too fast. And like, just slow down and just do my job and just do focus on what you have and just play football for the first couple of years. I mean, I feel like my best year would be coming up. It’s just everything positive, everything around, everyone around me is just lifting everyone up, so I like what we’re having right now.”

Smith was then asked by one female reporter whether the receivers have been able to bond this year since that seemed to be something they struggled with last season.

“Yes ma’am, we’re together,” answered Smith. “We try to get together like every week now, we’re just everybody bonding, talking to each other, going out together, stuff like that.”

Definitely good news all around from Smith, who is expected to step up as a star pass catcher in 2023 after finishing third on the team in yards last fall.

The ‘Canes lose their top receiver in tight end Will Mallory and the only receiver who posted better numbers than Smith only had 60 more yards than him.

Sounds like Smith already has a terrific connection with new WRs coach Kevin Beard and he’s rounded into a veteran leader who’s been able to connect this year’s crop of wideouts far more than last year’s were. Ideally, that sort of change also shows itself on the field.