Banda runs down safety group following Tues. drills

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Stefan Adams

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Following Tuesday’s drills, Miami Hurricanes safeties coach Ephraim Banda spoke about the depth he’s building with his group, highlighting the progress he’s seen from returning upperclassmen Gurvan Hall, Bubba Bolden, and Amari Carter.

“This group right now, those three guys especially, really gel well together,” Banda said. “They all know they are ones in our eyes. It doesn’t matter (who starts), they understand how important it is that they do it together.

“This year is different, it’s not about who plays free safety or rover, it’s about depth, getting guys to learn as many positions as possible. Everyone is learning how to play another position, period. Gurvan has been there, done a great job. I’ve had Bubba learn both, Amari already knows both positions. All the young guys are rotating in and out. Feel good about Bubba, Gurvan, and Amari.”

Bolden is returning from an ankle injury suffered last season, and Banda has liked what he’s seen from the redshirt junior thus far in fall.

“Bubba has had a great camp,” Banda said. “Really proud of him. He’s done a phenomenal job of building a relationship within the defense, his fellow DB’s.”

Last season, the Canes regularly used four safeties in their rotation; with the three upperclassmen already established, Banda is looking for a 4th guy to step up in 2020 among freshmen Brian Balom, Jalen Harrell, and Keshawn Washington.

“We want to roll guys, are looking for depth,” Banda said. “(Last year), we were playing four different safeties in a rotation. We like to have depth, roll a lot of guys. I feel really good about those first three, they’ve done a great job through the summer, but depth is something we’re still working at. I would say I’m encouraged, but we still have a lot of work to do to build depth from the front to the middle to the back.

“That’s the big challenge this week. Coach (Manny) Diaz said in a meeting `Depth, depth, depth’ - we cannot stop thinking about that word and developing the guys behind them just due to the weird year it’s been. I’m encouraged, but we still have a long way to go. This is a year where if you can’t play multiple positions, your value to the team drastically drops.”

Of Washington, Banda said he was encouraged by what he’s seen from him during the first few months the South Dade product has been on campus, but that Banda is still looking for the consistency every practice.

"Keshawn, I feel bad for him because he got his spring cut from him, did everything he needed to do to get out (high) school early,” Banda said. “He did a good job taking advantage of the early spring meetings, the few practices we had. He's like the rest of the freshmen, still trying to come along, learn the importance of practicing hard, being physical. It's all of them - Brian and Jalen as well."

What qualities does Banda look for that would make him comfortable throwing a younger player out there in game action?

"We want them to operate with the tempo and speed of things - you can’t bust," Banda said. "You have to run like **** to the ball, be physical and tackle.”

Banda also mentioned that injured freshman safety Avantae Williams is still participating in meetings while he sits out the 2020 season.
 
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Rule #1- No more jumping into each other when celebrating. Bolden's injury was almost as dumb and comical as when Bill Gramatica tore his ACL jumping up and down after kicking a field goal in the first quarter of a game.
 
Rule #1- No more jumping into each other when celebrating. Bolden's injury was almost as dumb and comical as when Bill Gramatica tore his ACL jumping up and down after kicking a field goal in the first quarter of a game.
Gus Frerotte was looking for some serious celebration tracking points.
 
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I like Banda but please STOP ROTATING SAFETIES!! Leave Gurvan and Bubba back there. And unless one of them gets hurt... LEAVE THEM ALONE!! I spoke with Hall’s uncle yesterday and he expressed Gurvan’s frustration with the rotating, and I don’t blame him!!
Usually take the coach's side on these but I have to agree. In 2001 Reed and Lewis basically never came out unless they were crazy winded or we were way up. Same with ST and Sikes the next 2 years.
 
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I like Banda but please STOP ROTATING SAFETIES!! Leave Gurvan and Bubba back there. And unless one of them gets hurt... LEAVE THEM ALONE!! I spoke with Hall’s uncle yesterday and he expressed Gurvan’s frustration with the rotating, and I don’t blame him!!

Usually take the coach's side on these but I have to agree. In 2001 Reed and Lewis basically never came out unless they were crazy winded or we were way up. Same with ST and Sikes the next 2 years.

Because we did or didn't do something with Ed Reed in the lineup doesn't really translate to this team, or most. That's a GOAT, a once in a generation talent and football brain.

On the rotation, that's tough in this era of football. We're spread out a ton and play a lot of uptempo teams with a lot more personnel groupings. Plus, of you want to recruit elite players, you've gotta show them burn early.
 
Because we did or didn't do something with Ed Reed in the lineup doesn't really translate to this team, or most. That's a GOAT, a once in a generation talent and football brain.

On the rotation, that's tough in this era of football. We're spread out a ton and play a lot of uptempo teams with a lot more personnel groupings. Plus, of you want to recruit elite players, you've gotta show them burn early.
Lewis and Sikes weren't once in a generation players and they seldom rotated out either.
 
Lewis and Sikes weren't once in a generation players and they seldom rotated out either.
I'll grant you there wasn't as much up-tempo spread back then and sometimes the rotation is necessary to keep guys fresh but Banda seems to do it regardless.
 
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I like Banda but please STOP ROTATING SAFETIES!! Leave Gurvan and Bubba back there. And unless one of them gets hurt... LEAVE THEM ALONE!! I spoke with Hall’s uncle yesterday and he expressed Gurvan’s frustration with the rotating, and I don’t blame him!!
Banda can’t help himself. Played Robert Knowles last year way too often.. Manny and Baker are no different. If Scott Patchan doesn’t transfer, he 100% gets snaps over Jahfari Harvey this year. This coaching staff has this obsession with 5th year Jag’s. They better not give Bubba Bolden and Gurvan Hall’s snaps away to Amari Carter. But we know it’s coming.
 
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He will burn up some cornflakes. Build depth by beating the breaks off of teams and putting your 2nd/3rd team in there to finish out a blowout. But you don’t rotate - just to do it - with inferior players who aren’t capable of executing at a high level.

Banda is Being an idiot.
 
No other position group has gotten drafted more than our Safeties within the last 4 years...

I get that it's popular to wanna take shots at Banda, but in comparison to the rest of the Defensive staff he's earned the right to have leeway with his group.

Meanwhile we haven't had a CB drafted above the 5th round & only one LB drafted in the last 4 years, but yeah go off lol...
 
No other position group has gotten drafted more than our Safeties within the last 4 years...

I get that it's popular to wanna take shots at Banda, but in comparison to the rest of the Defensive staff he's earned the right to have leeway with his group.

Meanwhile we haven't had a CB drafted above the 5th round & only one LB drafted in the last 4 years, but yeah go off lol...
Rumph da gawd!
 
I like Banda but please STOP ROTATING SAFETIES!! Leave Gurvan and Bubba back there. And unless one of them gets hurt... LEAVE THEM ALONE!! I spoke with Hall’s uncle yesterday and he expressed Gurvan’s frustration with the rotating, and I don’t blame him!!
This would drive me crazy. As a defensive player, especially safety a lot of it is instincts and feeling out the game. Tough to build momentum and a feel for what’s going on in a game when you’re constantly rotating positions and coming on and off the field.
 
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