Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Homer bulking up
Running back bolstering his strength, leadership for the fall
CORAL GABLES — Before last season started, former Hurricanes running back Mark Walton knew he’d be expected to carry much of the load for a Miami offense in transition with a new quarterback under center.
But Walton — who last month was taken in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals — made it a point to try to mentor Travis Homer and the rest of Miami’s younger running backs. Walton worked with them in the weight room and training room, hoping they’d follow his lead and learn how to take care of their bodies for the season ahead. A veteran, Walton wanted each of Miami’s backs to be ready to spell him, or worse, take over his spot in the lineup if the need arose.
And so, when Walton was sidelined by a season-ending ankle injury after the Hurricanes’ October win over Florida State, Homer stepped in, ready.
The former Oxbridge Academy standout went on to finish the season as Miami’s leading
rusher, totaling 966 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a threat to catch passes in the backfield, too, averaging 12.2 yards per catch.
By season’s end, Homer finished with a team-high 1,203 all-purpose yards, a number that helped him earn second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and had Athlon Magazine peg him as one of the top 25 running backs in the country entering the 2018 season.
Now, projected to be the Hurricanes’ starting running back at the beginning of the season, Homer is trying to do his best to mentor a new crop of Miami running backs, the same way Walton mentored him.
“I’ve definitely got to step up to that leadership position, not just in the running backs room but also [for] the whole team. I’ve got to try and fill Mark’s shoes, so it’s a little different,” Homer said last week when the Hurricanes visited with students at Frances S. Tucker Elementary as part of their annual community outreach efforts. “It’s a little different, yeah, but definitely [I like the challenge].”
Along with trying to find his voice as one of Miami’s locker room leaders, Homer said he’s been working with Gus Felder, the Hurricanes strength and conditioning coach, to make sure his body is prepared to handle the workload he’s expected to have this season.
As well as he played last year, there were games — especially during the Hurricanes’ three-game skid to close out the season — when Homer and Miami’s rushing attack struggled.
In losses against Pittsburgh, Clemson and Wisconsin, the Hurricanes totaled 323 yards, and while the addition of talented freshmen such as Lorenzo Lingard and Camron Davis should help the Hurricanes find more success without relying so heavily on one back, Homer wants to make sure he does his part.
“We’re in the weight room, getting stronger. [Felder’s] gotten us right so far,” Homer said. “I think you’re going to see a lot of different weights go up and our speed getting faster. I like it … I’ve been working on strength, upper body, lower body. [I’ll] be able to pick up the D-ends and linebackers in pass protection. I definitely noticed I needed to get stronger overall.”