immy Graham had today circled in his mental calendar for a long time.

It was UM’s first day in full pads, and the former basketball forward hadn’t hit on the football field since ninth grade.

“I’ve been anticipating this day for a while, it was a big day for me,” Graham said after UM’s first full pads practice Wednesday. “It’s different blocking coming off the line, keeping your feet moving because guys are coming up underneath you, are pulling.”

His results the first day in pads?

Not too bad.

Graham made a sliding touchdown reception on a pass from Jacory Harris in the back corner of the end zone in red zone drills and also got his feet wet with some big blocks in the running game.

“I caught the touchdown low – hopefully there will be more to come,” Graham said. “With Jacory out there I’m sure it’ll happen.”

Graham says he “got a lot of one reps” today.

“I liked it,” he said “Every day I like going with Jacory. He’s a great quarterback , but so are Cannon (Smith) and Cookie (Taylor Cook).”

Graham said he there were some big hits on him today.

“I was tackled with the ball twice, and blocking-wise I came in motion and was able to crack somebody,” he said. “It’s a learning experience out there.”

After the hitting today Graham will wake up tomorrow with some difficulty.

He ran down the lists of nicks he got today: “My hips are sore, I got a skinned knee, caught a helmet to the hand,” Graham said. “I was hit about three times, so I have to get my neck massaged a little bit. But that’s about it.”

Despite all that, he says “All in all I feel pretty good.”

Tight ends coach Joe Pannunzio joked yesterday that Graham didn’t remember how to put on his pads since he hadn’t played football in seven years.

Graham’s response to that?

“He’s joking around – I remember how to put my pads on,” Graham said. “But learning to catch with pads is a little different technique. Pannunzio always jokes on me because he knows I’m the new guy. It seems like all the coaches try to simplify everything to basketball, so that’s been funny.”

Of how he felt running with the extra weight of the pads, Graham said, “It felt great. I felt a little different. I just have to get used to it. Running with all this weight, it takes a little bit of adjustment. It’s not a basketball jersey anymore.”

Graham’s adjustment to life as a football player is an ongoing process, of course.

Take what he said today about the level of his toughness.

“I’ve learned to be tough, have hard skin through my life,” Graham said. “But off the court I’ve learned to be nice to everybody.”

Then Graham pauses.

“Did I say `Off the court?’” he said. “I meant to say `Off the field.”