Miami Hurricanes strikers and special teams coach Jonathan Patke spoke following Tuesday’s practice about the growth he has seen from STRK Gilbert Frierson this season, who leads the team in TFL with 6 and is third on the team in total tackles with 18 after recording 6 tackles and 3 TFL vs. Clemson on Saturday.
“With Gilbert, players never want to sit behind an older guy, always want to play - last year he had the opportunity to play but also the opportunity to watch Romeo, a senior, a guy who waited his time,” Patke said. “Romeo played at a high level the majority of his career, the last two seasons of his career. That definitely helped (Frierson) to see how an older guy prepared.
"The reason he makes a lot of the plays he makes is because he knows the play before the play. That’s all film study. He wants to know everything about the defense. He came here as a corner, knows the safety position and played striker. He can get the corners aligned, safeties aligned, linebackers aligned, call the front. Now he can look at the offense and what they’re trying to attack. It’s preparation second to none. He constantly studies, texts me `What about this, what’s the game plan?’ - he wants it a day early - just his intelligence in the game of football and where he’s really come a long way is the way he’s tackling right now. Coming into the box from cornerback - is he going to be physical enough? I’m so proud he’s taken that and really excelled in his tackling abilities and being physical at the point of attack.”
The Canes had a position battle between Frierson and STRK Keontra Smith over the offseason, and Smith (7 tackles in 2020) has gotten a fair share of playing time as Frierson’s backup.
“We feel he’s a special player,” Patke said of Smith. “Gil is playing fantastic right now, the best he’s played since he’s been here, two back-to-back games at a high level, and Keontra the same. I’m trying to get both in there.
“Keontra is a very physical player, he tackled the best running back in the country (Travis Etienne), in my opinion, and had no problem taking him down, had no fear. He’s just a true tackler, sturdy, strong body. Understands the game, he’s learning each and every day and is learning from Gilbert. Gilbert prepares and is so smart with the game. Once (Smith) gets that he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with. He can really, really run - you see him chase a guy down the sideline and just hawks him down. He can tackle, has no fear. It’s unfortunate we’re going to be missing him the first half of the game this weekend (due to targeting vs. Clemson). The guy was just playing hard. He has to play with his eyes up so he doesn’t get kicked out of the game. But he was doing exactly what we coached, just has to have his eyes up and they don’t’ make that call.”
On special teams, the Canes have had a strong start to the season, with Lou Hedley third in the ACC in averaging 46.1 ypp and Jose Borregales perfect on FG attempts (7-7) thus far while consistently kicking the ball out of the endzone on kickoffs.
“We just handle those guys like pros,” Patke said. “(Borregales) has been solid as a rock, has been really, really good. You take for granted his kickoffs, but he’s almost 80 percent touchbacks, right where you want to be. And if it’s not a touchback, it’s high hang time. But he’s still got a lot of work to do leaving here as one of the greatest to do it.
“Hedley, he got the game off against Florida State, didn’t have to punt one time. Comes back this past weekend, punts seven times, netted a little over 46. That’s a great day. As a punter that’s what we ask. The biggest thing with Lou - he’s had one returnable punt all year… The biggest difference between Lou this year and last year is his placement of the football. This year, they’ve really been outside the hash, the majority even outside the numbers. The guy’s got a huge leg. He’s a pro, carries himself like a pro, takes his job very, very seriously. Glad we got those two guys.”
The Canes also blocked three kicks on special teams vs. Clemson, with DJ Ivey returning one for a TD.
"We thought there was an opportunity to block field goals with our defensive guys in there, that came true,” Patke said. “And what we talk about on special teams and defense is effort, attitude, toughness on every play. When you’re blocking field goals, they’re trying to score points, how hard the team rushes really shows the effort you’re playing with. To see them absolutely lay out, give it all they got going to halftime, get the momentum going back in our favor at that time (was big). They tried a long field goal, we overloaded on one side, and got there. A huge play. Really proud of our guys playing with that effort on that field goal block unit and everybody going hard.”
Miami’s main issue on special teams has been at punt returner, where Mark Pope lost two fumbles on punt returns through the first three games and Xavier Restrepo mishandled a punt out of the back of the endzone vs. Clemson.
"We made a change, put Xavier back there, a guy that did it at an elite level through high school,” Patke said. “Watching him through camp, we felt we needed to make a change, felt very comfortable with him catching the punts. I always say you’re a punt catcher before a punt returner. And what a game to go in - I was with coach (Manny) Diaz at the hotel before we went to the stadium and I said `How else would you want it - true freshman on the road, number one team in the country in the rain to go field your first punt.’
“The first one, the ball hit one of their guys on their punt unit and he was smart enough to try and advance it without penalty - that was big-time for a freshman to understand. The other one, it was unfortunate. He was on the 10-yard line, we tell him ‘Stand on the 10, don’t back up and if it’s hot, let it go’. Just a situation with a young guy he thought he could field it and advance it. I don’t fault him for the effort. It was a learning experience, lucky it was a touchback. We still have confidence in Xavier, Pope, and Gurvan (Hall). We want to see Xavier back there. There’s no harder test than going to Clemson in the rain.”
Has there been any thought to use either Jaylan Knighton or Don Chaney as returners?
“Don and [Knighton] are both elite returners and Knighton is really, really elite, we want to get him back there on kickoff return - he’s running with the twos right now,” Patke said. “There’s no question we’d like to work him into a game and I think he’s close to doing that. You see him on offense, once he gets out, he has the explosiveness to go the whole way. Definitely getting more trust in him as a return man and Chaney would be the next guy back there as well. They’re so mature the way they prepare, prepare like an older guy. You watch them on offense, special teams, you don’t feel they’re freshmen.”
Patke mentioned the preference is to return kicks instead of taking touchbacks if it’s possible and the returner feels a lane is available, and also said UM wants more “explosive returns”,
“Explosive returns - we need a punt return for a first down [10 yards] at least, hopefully more, and an explosive kickoff return, and that’s our goal. That’s what we’re looking for right now, a guy who can be explosive… We also have to block better and return better.”
If Miami was to make a change at kick returner, Patke mentioned Knighton and Chaney as the first options.
“We really like Knighton, need to get Chaney back there,” Patke said. “(Mike) Harley is tough, fearless, Cam Harris can be a returner. Obviously Pope is back there. I think the next guy in mind would be Jaylan and Don. But we have a lot of guys that can catch kickoff returns. The harder one is punt returns because it’s just more of a hectic (situation) - you don’t know where the ball is going, people in your face. It’s like an offensive play, you’re reading the play. We roll guys back there every day, every kickoff return we have a handful we feel comfortable with.”
Patke also listed some younger players he feels have done well so far on special teams.
“One that stood out Saturday night and has been a standout is Te’Cory Couch,” Patke said. “He’s our gunner on punt team, is getting a lot more snaps on defense, that does not take away his effort on special teams. Tirek Austin-Cave is giving great effort on kickoff, Corey Flagg is showing up, is playing more on defense as well - smart, savvy, can run, can tackle, great sense in special teams of where the ball is going.
“Avery Huff, a guy that did not play last year has really helped out on special teams. And Mike Redding, Keyshawn Smith have done a great job. … Brian Balom is another freshman really showing up on special teams… And there’s more we need to get in there. Those guys come to mind, Restrepo obviously has helped us. There’s a lot of young guys doing what we ask - attitude, effort, toughness, understanding they have a big part in our success on special teams.”
“With Gilbert, players never want to sit behind an older guy, always want to play - last year he had the opportunity to play but also the opportunity to watch Romeo, a senior, a guy who waited his time,” Patke said. “Romeo played at a high level the majority of his career, the last two seasons of his career. That definitely helped (Frierson) to see how an older guy prepared.
"The reason he makes a lot of the plays he makes is because he knows the play before the play. That’s all film study. He wants to know everything about the defense. He came here as a corner, knows the safety position and played striker. He can get the corners aligned, safeties aligned, linebackers aligned, call the front. Now he can look at the offense and what they’re trying to attack. It’s preparation second to none. He constantly studies, texts me `What about this, what’s the game plan?’ - he wants it a day early - just his intelligence in the game of football and where he’s really come a long way is the way he’s tackling right now. Coming into the box from cornerback - is he going to be physical enough? I’m so proud he’s taken that and really excelled in his tackling abilities and being physical at the point of attack.”
The Canes had a position battle between Frierson and STRK Keontra Smith over the offseason, and Smith (7 tackles in 2020) has gotten a fair share of playing time as Frierson’s backup.
“We feel he’s a special player,” Patke said of Smith. “Gil is playing fantastic right now, the best he’s played since he’s been here, two back-to-back games at a high level, and Keontra the same. I’m trying to get both in there.
“Keontra is a very physical player, he tackled the best running back in the country (Travis Etienne), in my opinion, and had no problem taking him down, had no fear. He’s just a true tackler, sturdy, strong body. Understands the game, he’s learning each and every day and is learning from Gilbert. Gilbert prepares and is so smart with the game. Once (Smith) gets that he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with. He can really, really run - you see him chase a guy down the sideline and just hawks him down. He can tackle, has no fear. It’s unfortunate we’re going to be missing him the first half of the game this weekend (due to targeting vs. Clemson). The guy was just playing hard. He has to play with his eyes up so he doesn’t get kicked out of the game. But he was doing exactly what we coached, just has to have his eyes up and they don’t’ make that call.”
On special teams, the Canes have had a strong start to the season, with Lou Hedley third in the ACC in averaging 46.1 ypp and Jose Borregales perfect on FG attempts (7-7) thus far while consistently kicking the ball out of the endzone on kickoffs.
“We just handle those guys like pros,” Patke said. “(Borregales) has been solid as a rock, has been really, really good. You take for granted his kickoffs, but he’s almost 80 percent touchbacks, right where you want to be. And if it’s not a touchback, it’s high hang time. But he’s still got a lot of work to do leaving here as one of the greatest to do it.
“Hedley, he got the game off against Florida State, didn’t have to punt one time. Comes back this past weekend, punts seven times, netted a little over 46. That’s a great day. As a punter that’s what we ask. The biggest thing with Lou - he’s had one returnable punt all year… The biggest difference between Lou this year and last year is his placement of the football. This year, they’ve really been outside the hash, the majority even outside the numbers. The guy’s got a huge leg. He’s a pro, carries himself like a pro, takes his job very, very seriously. Glad we got those two guys.”
The Canes also blocked three kicks on special teams vs. Clemson, with DJ Ivey returning one for a TD.
"We thought there was an opportunity to block field goals with our defensive guys in there, that came true,” Patke said. “And what we talk about on special teams and defense is effort, attitude, toughness on every play. When you’re blocking field goals, they’re trying to score points, how hard the team rushes really shows the effort you’re playing with. To see them absolutely lay out, give it all they got going to halftime, get the momentum going back in our favor at that time (was big). They tried a long field goal, we overloaded on one side, and got there. A huge play. Really proud of our guys playing with that effort on that field goal block unit and everybody going hard.”
Miami’s main issue on special teams has been at punt returner, where Mark Pope lost two fumbles on punt returns through the first three games and Xavier Restrepo mishandled a punt out of the back of the endzone vs. Clemson.
"We made a change, put Xavier back there, a guy that did it at an elite level through high school,” Patke said. “Watching him through camp, we felt we needed to make a change, felt very comfortable with him catching the punts. I always say you’re a punt catcher before a punt returner. And what a game to go in - I was with coach (Manny) Diaz at the hotel before we went to the stadium and I said `How else would you want it - true freshman on the road, number one team in the country in the rain to go field your first punt.’
“The first one, the ball hit one of their guys on their punt unit and he was smart enough to try and advance it without penalty - that was big-time for a freshman to understand. The other one, it was unfortunate. He was on the 10-yard line, we tell him ‘Stand on the 10, don’t back up and if it’s hot, let it go’. Just a situation with a young guy he thought he could field it and advance it. I don’t fault him for the effort. It was a learning experience, lucky it was a touchback. We still have confidence in Xavier, Pope, and Gurvan (Hall). We want to see Xavier back there. There’s no harder test than going to Clemson in the rain.”
Has there been any thought to use either Jaylan Knighton or Don Chaney as returners?
“Don and [Knighton] are both elite returners and Knighton is really, really elite, we want to get him back there on kickoff return - he’s running with the twos right now,” Patke said. “There’s no question we’d like to work him into a game and I think he’s close to doing that. You see him on offense, once he gets out, he has the explosiveness to go the whole way. Definitely getting more trust in him as a return man and Chaney would be the next guy back there as well. They’re so mature the way they prepare, prepare like an older guy. You watch them on offense, special teams, you don’t feel they’re freshmen.”
Patke mentioned the preference is to return kicks instead of taking touchbacks if it’s possible and the returner feels a lane is available, and also said UM wants more “explosive returns”,
“Explosive returns - we need a punt return for a first down [10 yards] at least, hopefully more, and an explosive kickoff return, and that’s our goal. That’s what we’re looking for right now, a guy who can be explosive… We also have to block better and return better.”
If Miami was to make a change at kick returner, Patke mentioned Knighton and Chaney as the first options.
“We really like Knighton, need to get Chaney back there,” Patke said. “(Mike) Harley is tough, fearless, Cam Harris can be a returner. Obviously Pope is back there. I think the next guy in mind would be Jaylan and Don. But we have a lot of guys that can catch kickoff returns. The harder one is punt returns because it’s just more of a hectic (situation) - you don’t know where the ball is going, people in your face. It’s like an offensive play, you’re reading the play. We roll guys back there every day, every kickoff return we have a handful we feel comfortable with.”
Patke also listed some younger players he feels have done well so far on special teams.
“One that stood out Saturday night and has been a standout is Te’Cory Couch,” Patke said. “He’s our gunner on punt team, is getting a lot more snaps on defense, that does not take away his effort on special teams. Tirek Austin-Cave is giving great effort on kickoff, Corey Flagg is showing up, is playing more on defense as well - smart, savvy, can run, can tackle, great sense in special teams of where the ball is going.
“Avery Huff, a guy that did not play last year has really helped out on special teams. And Mike Redding, Keyshawn Smith have done a great job. … Brian Balom is another freshman really showing up on special teams… And there’s more we need to get in there. Those guys come to mind, Restrepo obviously has helped us. There’s a lot of young guys doing what we ask - attitude, effort, toughness, understanding they have a big part in our success on special teams.”
