Nick Harwell is on a mission to make up for lost time on the football field.

Miami University’s standout wide receiver missed three games with a knee injury and returned to action last Saturday at Cincinnati, catching five passes for 40 yards and a 10-yard touchdown in the 52-14 setback.

“I couldn’t wait to get back,” said Harwell, a 6-foot-1, 193-pound junior from Missouri City, Texas. “I was very excited to play. UC is a big rivalry. I wanted to be back for that game.”

RedHawks coach Don Treadwell said the plan was to ease Harwell back into playing shape against the Bearcats.

“We put him in there a limited number of times,” Treadwell said. “I think it was good for him and certainly it’s good for our program to get him back a little bit.”

Harwell hadn’t played since Week 2 against Southern Illinois and confirmed that he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He said no serious damage was found, and he was told he’d be back in action in 2-to-4 weeks.

“The knee’s 100 percent,” Harwell said. “I could do everything I pretty much wanted to do against UC. I was just pretty rusty with the plays.”

He plans to be a major factor in the passing game the rest of the way, including this afternoon’s game at Bowling Green. Harwell totaled eight receptions for 139 yards against the Falcons last year.

In 2012, he has 16 catches for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Dawan Scott (32 receptions, 501 yards, five TDs) and Andy Cruse (42 catches, 334 yards, three TDs) have led the receiving corps thus far.

“I’m just trying to get back to my old self,” Harwell said. “I want to have the big games I used to have to help my team out.”

Harwell ranks fifth in receptions (177) and receiving yards (2,477) among Miami’s all-time leaders. His 17 touchdown catches are tied for seventh.