‘I wouldn’t get to have all this fun if I’d left’ — Alter grad making most of his final season at Miami

A finance major nearing graduation, he figured it was possibly time to move on — maybe a job in Chicago or Charlotte, something steady, something normal.

Then Miami coach Chuck Martin wanted to talk.

“I kind of retired for a couple days,” Shane said with a grin after Miami’s win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. “But Coach Martin called me in — I talked with my other coaches — and they said there could be a big opportunity for me next year if I came back.”

The decision changed everything.

Once a little-used backup, Shane has become one of Miami’s most versatile and reliable players this season. His breakout performance came Saturday, when he caught three passes on one drive, capping it with a 20-yard touchdown reception. He finished with four catches for 56 yards.

“Every time I saw the play call coming in, I knew I could get the ball,” Shane said. “They just kept leaving me open for whatever reason. It was exciting — just an awesome feeling. A great drive by the offense, and it worked out perfectly.”

Martin, Miami’s veteran head coach, laughed as he recalled their offseason conversation — and how close his tight end came to walking away.

“He retired,” Martin said. “If we didn’t talk, he was done. I said, ‘Dude, you can’t retire. We’re gonna need you next year.’ I told him, ‘If you don’t have a major role at the end of spring, then you can re-retire.’ But I knew. I told him, ‘You’re gonna be harder to beat out than you think.’

“Sure enough, he’s playing a ton of snaps, doing everything for us. He’s saved our tail — saved our season, really.”

The beauty of Tight End life

Shane said the satisfaction isn’t just in catching passes. It’s in doing a little bit of everything — blocking, protecting and occasionally breaking free downfield.

“You know, that’s the beauty of playing tight end,” Shane said. “You get to do it all. You get to run routes and catch and score touchdowns like I did today, but I’m also in there blocking a lot.

“A couple weeks ago, I was playing pass protection on third downs. You get to do a lot of different jobs, which is really fun.”

That versatility has made Shane invaluable to Miami’s offense. Martin, who often preaches balance and execution, sees him as one of those glue players that makes everything click.

“Brian does all the jobs,” Martin said. “He blocks, he runs routes, he catches, he protects. You can line him up anywhere, and you know he’ll get it right. He’s not just out there because he’s reliable — he’s out there because he’s good.

“We trust him completely.”

The RedHawks have leaned on that reliability during a stretch of efficient offensive football. Miami was 11-for-15 on third down and controlled the ball for more than 42 minutes against Eastern Michigan — thanks in part to players like Shane keeping drives alive.

“Our coaches talk all the time about staying ahead of the chains,” Shane said. “When we get to third down, we want it to be manageable — third and four, five, six. Even when we got into third and long, we protected well, ran good routes, and the quarterback put it right where it needed to be. That’s what it’s all about.”

A full circle moment

Shane, a redshirt senior, said every snap this season has felt like a reward. After four years of waiting and practicing, he’s savoring every huddle, every block, every route.

“Having a career day in your fifth year — you don’t think about that,” Shane said. “It’s just awesome. This whole year has been a dream come true. I’m just so glad I stayed.”

He’s already earned his degree in finance and is now pursuing a master’s in business analytics. That next chapter — the one he nearly jumped into early — is waiting a little longer.

“I wouldn’t get to have all this fun if I’d left,” Shane said. “We’ve got a great team. We stuck together early when things weren’t perfect, and now it’s paying off. Offense, defense, special teams — everyone’s contributing. It’s been amazing.”

Martin has seen dozens of players come and go during his tenure in Oxford, but Shane’s story stands out — a reminder that patience, trust and persistence still matter in college football.

“Brian’s one of those guys you root for,” Martin said. “He does things the right way. He earned everything he’s getting right now.

“When I said he saved our season, I meant it. He’s been that important — not just for what he does on the field, but for what he represents to this team.”

For Miami, his return was a quiet victory long before Saturday’s career performance.

For Shane, it was proof that sometimes the best plays come after you almost walk away.

“Nothing was guaranteed, but I did still want to play,” Shane said with a smile. “So I came back — and it’s been a dream come true.”

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