We already had been told that receiver Jeremy Maclin is bigger, faster and stronger than last season, and now it appears, also quicker, according to coach Gary Pinkel.

We had seen what he can do with raw talent: 80 catches, 375 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns and a ridiculous amount of versatility in his first collegiate season.

Now we’re told that Maclin has added another weapon to his repertoire. He has discovered how to practice efficiently. And that’s no joke. That’s how a good player gets better, and Pinkel said Maclin has figured it out.

“His practice habits are completely different,” Pinkel said Tuesday morning. “Now you see him and he has good habits. When you have that, then fundamentally you get better. His one-on-one routes will be better along with his awareness and knowing the defenses and adjustments and the complexities of what we do on offense.”

Pinkel has seen the evidence in only two days of practice. He knows that opposing defenses are going to do everything imaginable to stop Maclin and Chase Daniel from destroying their Saturdays.

Pinkel seems to welcome that approach. In the Cotton Bowl, Arkansas did its best to slow Maclin, and he was held to three catches for 32 yards but the Tigers’ running game exploded.

“We see everything there is (from defenses) and work against just about everything there is,” Pinkel said. “What we do with Maclin is move him. He’s all over the field. We can put Chase Coffman to further side receiver or tight in the slot and the same with Jeremy Maclin. So, it’s very difficult unless you want to line up in just man and cover one guy or double because sometimes he’s at running back. He’s all over the place.”

Temple is a running back/defensive back out of Kansas City Rockhurst, and Smith is a tight end/defensive lineman from Raytown (Mo.) South