Junior wide receiver Dee Wiggins is ready to take the next step for the Miami football program as a starter in 2020 after leading the team with 16.8 yards per reception in 2019.
Junior Dee Wiggins led the Miami football team with 16.8 yards per reception in 2019 and the returnees in 2020 with four touchdown receptions last season. Wiggins is expected to produce more consistently as a starter in 2020. Most of Wiggins 2019 production came against Florida State and Louisville in back to back weeks.
Wiggins had seven receptions for 159 yards and three TDs against the Seminoles and Cardinals. Earlier in the season, Wiggins combined for six receptions for 126 yards against Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech but did not score. In the remaining nine games, Wiggins had seven receptions for 51 yards without a TD.
As an expected starter in 2020 with senior Mike Harley and junior Mark Pope, Wiggins has to produce more consistently or he will lose playing time. Behind Harley, Pope and Wiggins, redshirt freshman Jeremiah Payton is the only WR on the Miami roster with a reception. Payton had one reception for 23 yards last season.
If Miami is going to have a good season offensively, the WRs need to step up in 2020. That has to be led by the experienced WRs Harley, Pope and Wiggins. Harley led the returning Miami WRs with 38 receptions and 485 yards in 2019. Harley’s three TD receptions last season were second to Wiggins’ four.
Dee Wiggins: "The freshmen have made me take my game to another level, made me watch film a lot more...I think the freshmen and I think Coach Likens have put pressure on the older guys."
— Christy Chirinos (@ChristyChirinos) August 31, 2020
The Miami football program signed four freshman WRs in the class of 2020. Four-star Michael Redding III and three-stars Daz Worsham, Xavier Restrepo and Keyshawn Smith. Restrepo has been extremely impressive in the first two scrimmages and Miami likes the speed that Smith can provide the offense.
Wiggins is feeling the pressure from the freshman having to produce in 2020. In the Rhett Lashlee offense, Miami is expected to take more deep shots in the passing game with D’Eriq King at quarterback, there is every reason to expect Wiggins to have a breakout season similar to the games against Florida State and Louisville in 2019.