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Barry J. article on Canes D

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ROFL, this is why the nerd recruiting sites and most articles are a joke, anybody that ever saw couch play knew and know he took a back seat to nobody at the highschool level and he'll barely take a back seat to anyone at this level, especially once he gets his body right! Just funny how one "4 star" gets amped over anotner "4 star"

"Couch played more defensive snaps than Williams last season and finished the season a bit further along, though Williams was the more-ballyhooed high school prospect out of Alabama. Couch appears the best option to play in the slot, at least to start the season."
 
Calvin said:
ROFL, this is why the nerd recruiting sites and most articles are a joke, anybody that ever saw couch play knew and know he took a back seat to nobody at the highschool level and he'll barely take a back seat to anyone at this level, especially once he gets his body right! Just funny how one "4 star" gets amped over anotner "4 star"

"Couch played more defensive snaps than Williams last season and finished the season a bit further along, though Williams was the more-ballyhooed high school prospect out of Alabama. Couch appears the best option to play in the slot, at least to start the season."
Click to expand...
We all knew couch was a sticky corner. He just needed to gain some weight.
 
Roche is the very likely starter opposite Greg Rousseau (15.5 sacks last season), and this could be Miami’s last year to reap the benefits of having Rousseau, who’s eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft. Roche was graded by Pro Football Focus as the second-best pass rusher in college football last season, behind only Ohio State’s Chase Young.

The competition for the third and fourth defensive end jobs should be highly competitive, featuring UCLA transfer Phillips, redshirt freshman Harvey, freshman Chantz Williams and redshirt freshman Cameron Williams.

Freshmen Quentin Williams and Elijah Roberts, who are signed but not enrolled, will join that battle in the summer.

Phillips, the former No. 1 overall recruit in the country in 2017, is finally healthy and enters as the favorite for the No. 3 end job after sitting out last season following his transfer.

But expect Harvey to push him; Canes coaches are very high on the former Vero Beach High standout. With Miami deep at defensive end in 2019, Canes coaches limited Harvey to four games last season to preserve a year of eligibility.

And Miami believes Chantz Williams can be a high-impact pass rusher; he broke his forearm last season while playing for a Charlotte high school, but UM has not indicated that he will miss the spring. Cameron Williams took an academic redshirt last season, but Miami coaches like the skill set.

The staff believes freshman Roberts, who’s already 6-4 and 265 pounds, could grow into a defensive tackle.

“He can play on the edge on the defense [but] Mother Nature might continue to see him grow where he becomes one of those unblockable three techniques in the Gerald Willis mold,” coach Manny Diaz said. “Time will tell on that.”

UM found consistent snaps for four defensive ends last season, and that should be the case this year, too.

At defensive tackle, UM loses a steady starter in Pat Bethel and a rotation piece in Chigozie Nnoruka.

Incumbent starter Jon Ford (three sacks) is the very likely starter at one tackle spot, with Nesta Silvera (19 tackles, sack, fumble recovery) the favorite for the other starting job.

UM will take a long look at sophomore Jordan Miller (who got in better shape and was much improved last season, with 2.5 tackles for loss) and three freshmen who defensive coordinator Blake Baker says will be “special” players: Jared Harrison Hunte, Jalar Holley and Jason Blissett.

Defensive tackle Willie Moise hasn’t signed but could join the class if he can qualify academically, which is in question.

Incidentally, Don Soldinger said Patchan visited Art Kehoe in the hospital after Kehoe’s stroke and Patchan told both of them he’s considering FAU and Colorado State.

LINEBACKER
Zach McCloud’s decision to redshirt in 2019 gives the Canes an experienced starter who had 129 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 31 starts at Miami.

Sam Brooks — who had 12 tackles in the Independence Bowl — could emerge as the linebacker who’s on the field the most (after McCloud), but he will miss spring with a shoulder injury.

That will give opportunities to Patrick Joyner Jr. and Avery Huff, in particular.

Joyner, who moved from defensive end to linebacker late last spring, played very well in the spring game, but then missed half the season with an injury and redshirted. Expect him to emerge with a significant role next season.

Huff, who took an academic redshirt last season, impressed teammates at practice and also could emerge as a rotation player.

Waymon Steed and Bradley Jennings — two veteran linebackers whose time at UM has been marred by injuries — also will be in the mix, but Jennings will miss spring with a hip injury.

Besides Brooks and Jennings, the new incoming freshmen linebackers — Corey Flagg (knee) and Tirek Austin-Cave (shoulder) — also will miss spring ball. Both entered with a chance to play as freshmen (beyond special teams), but their spring absences could be hurtful in that regard.

SAFETY
This might be UM’s deepest position beyond receiver and possibly defensive end.

There are at least three players who could make a case to start: Gurvan Hall, Bubba Bolden and Amari Carter, with freshman Keshawn Washington competing this spring and freshmen safeties Brian Balom and Avantae Williams joining the mix this summer.

Williams was rated the best safety in the country by some recruiting services.

Hall and Bolden are the front-runners to start.

Hall had a few breakdowns — including a team-leading three touchdowns relinquished in coverage — but overall was solid with 66 tackles, two sacks, an interception, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. UM believes he has the highest ceiling of the returning players.

Diaz said Bolden will miss at least part of spring practice with a foot injury sustained after an interception against FSU.

Carter started five games last season, but his play was uneven and Robert Knowles (whose eligibility has expired) sometimes played ahead of him. Carter gave up 212 yards on just nine completions (in 17 targets).

Williams, considered the nation’s No. 1 safety prospect, is talented enough to contend for immediate playing time on defense when he arrives in a few months.

CORNERBACK
With freshman Trajan Bandy turning pro early, Al Blades Jr. and DJ Ivey are the likely starters, but they will need to fend off second-year players Christian Williams and Te’Cory Couch and early arrival Marcus Clarke.

Freshmen Jalen Harrell (who can also play safety) and Isaiah Dunson have not arrived yet on campus but are signed and will enroll in the coming months.

Ivey had three interceptions last season, finishing strong after a disaster of a game against Georgia Tech. Overall, though, he allowed 349 passing yards in the regular season — most among UM players — with 24 completions in 41 targets.

Blades held quarterbacks to a 28.8 passer rating in his coverage, among the best in the country.

Couch played more defensive snaps than Williams last season and finished the season a bit further along, though Williams was the more-ballyhooed high school prospect out of Alabama. Couch appears the best option to play in the slot, at least to start the season.

STRIKER
The hybrid safety/linebacker position that Diaz added to UM’s defense two years again was manned capably by Romeo Finley the past two seasons. But his eligibility is up, and Gilbert Frierson takes over after a strong bowl game that featured 15 tackles and an interception. UM believes he will be very good, but he allowed too many yards (135) on just five completions last season.

Keontra Smith, who moved over from safety, will provide competition. The versatile Harrell also is a possibility in this spot when he arrives on campus.
 
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brock said:
What the **** did Jennings hurt? He got hurt last spring game and still isn’t healthy?
Click to expand...

The better question is what the **** part of Jennings' body hasn't been injured. Kid is never healthy. And IMHO he's also a step too slow.
 
Liberty City El said:
Roche is the very likely starter opposite Greg Rousseau (15.5 sacks last season), and this could be Miami’s last year to reap the benefits of having Rousseau, who’s eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft. Roche was graded by Pro Football Focus as the second-best pass rusher in college football last season, behind only Ohio State’s Chase Young.

The competition for the third and fourth defensive end jobs should be highly competitive, featuring UCLA transfer Phillips, redshirt freshman Harvey, freshman Chantz Williams and redshirt freshman Cameron Williams.

Freshmen Quentin Williams and Elijah Roberts, who are signed but not enrolled, will join that battle in the summer.

Phillips, the former No. 1 overall recruit in the country in 2017, is finally healthy and enters as the favorite for the No. 3 end job after sitting out last season following his transfer.

But expect Harvey to push him; Canes coaches are very high on the former Vero Beach High standout. With Miami deep at defensive end in 2019, Canes coaches limited Harvey to four games last season to preserve a year of eligibility.

And Miami believes Chantz Williams can be a high-impact pass rusher; he broke his forearm last season while playing for a Charlotte high school, but UM has not indicated that he will miss the spring. Cameron Williams took an academic redshirt last season, but Miami coaches like the skill set.

The staff believes freshman Roberts, who’s already 6-4 and 265 pounds, could grow into a defensive tackle.

“He can play on the edge on the defense [but] Mother Nature might continue to see him grow where he becomes one of those unblockable three techniques in the Gerald Willis mold,” coach Manny Diaz said. “Time will tell on that.”

UM found consistent snaps for four defensive ends last season, and that should be the case this year, too.

At defensive tackle, UM loses a steady starter in Pat Bethel and a rotation piece in Chigozie Nnoruka.

Incumbent starter Jon Ford (three sacks) is the very likely starter at one tackle spot, with Nesta Silvera (19 tackles, sack, fumble recovery) the favorite for the other starting job.

UM will take a long look at sophomore Jordan Miller (who got in better shape and was much improved last season, with 2.5 tackles for loss) and three freshmen who defensive coordinator Blake Baker says will be “special” players: Jared Harrison Hunte, Jalar Holley and Jason Blissett.

Defensive tackle Willie Moise hasn’t signed but could join the class if he can qualify academically, which is in question.

Incidentally, Don Soldinger said Patchan visited Art Kehoe in the hospital after Kehoe’s stroke and Patchan told both of them he’s considering FAU and Colorado State.

LINEBACKER
Zach McCloud’s decision to redshirt in 2019 gives the Canes an experienced starter who had 129 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 31 starts at Miami.

Sam Brooks — who had 12 tackles in the Independence Bowl — could emerge as the linebacker who’s on the field the most (after McCloud), but he will miss spring with a shoulder injury.

That will give opportunities to Patrick Joyner Jr. and Avery Huff, in particular.

Joyner, who moved from defensive end to linebacker late last spring, played very well in the spring game, but then missed half the season with an injury and redshirted. Expect him to emerge with a significant role next season.

Huff, who took an academic redshirt last season, impressed teammates at practice and also could emerge as a rotation player.

Waymon Steed and Bradley Jennings — two veteran linebackers whose time at UM has been marred by injuries — also will be in the mix, but Jennings will miss spring with a hip injury.

Besides Brooks and Jennings, the new incoming freshmen linebackers — Corey Flagg (knee) and Tirek Austin-Cave (shoulder) — also will miss spring ball. Both entered with a chance to play as freshmen (beyond special teams), but their spring absences could be hurtful in that regard.

SAFETY
This might be UM’s deepest position beyond receiver and possibly defensive end.

There are at least three players who could make a case to start: Gurvan Hall, Bubba Bolden and Amari Carter, with freshman Keshawn Washington competing this spring and freshmen safeties Brian Balom and Avantae Williams joining the mix this summer.

Williams was rated the best safety in the country by some recruiting services.

Hall and Bolden are the front-runners to start.

Hall had a few breakdowns — including a team-leading three touchdowns relinquished in coverage — but overall was solid with 66 tackles, two sacks, an interception, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. UM believes he has the highest ceiling of the returning players.

Diaz said Bolden will miss at least part of spring practice with a foot injury sustained after an interception against FSU.

Carter started five games last season, but his play was uneven and Robert Knowles (whose eligibility has expired) sometimes played ahead of him. Carter gave up 212 yards on just nine completions (in 17 targets).

Williams, considered the nation’s No. 1 safety prospect, is talented enough to contend for immediate playing time on defense when he arrives in a few months.

CORNERBACK
With freshman Trajan Bandy turning pro early, Al Blades Jr. and DJ Ivey are the likely starters, but they will need to fend off second-year players Christian Williams and Te’Cory Couch and early arrival Marcus Clarke.

Freshmen Jalen Harrell (who can also play safety) and Isaiah Dunson have not arrived yet on campus but are signed and will enroll in the coming months.

Ivey had three interceptions last season, finishing strong after a disaster of a game against Georgia Tech. Overall, though, he allowed 349 passing yards in the regular season — most among UM players — with 24 completions in 41 targets.

Blades held quarterbacks to a 28.8 passer rating in his coverage, among the best in the country.

Couch played more defensive snaps than Williams last season and finished the season a bit further along, though Williams was the more-ballyhooed high school prospect out of Alabama. Couch appears the best option to play in the slot, at least to start the season.

STRIKER
The hybrid safety/linebacker position that Diaz added to UM’s defense two years again was manned capably by Romeo Finley the past two seasons. But his eligibility is up, and Gilbert Frierson takes over after a strong bowl game that featured 15 tackles and an interception. UM believes he will be very good, but he allowed too many yards (135) on just five completions last season.

Keontra Smith, who moved over from safety, will provide competition. The versatile Harrell also is a possibility in this spot when he arrives on campus.
Click to expand...
I definitely wouldn't mind seeing Harrell get a look at corner
 
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grover said:
****, our LBs are the walking wounded. Steed still recovering, Brooks injured, Joyner returning from injury, Jennings injured, Cave and Flagg injured. We will be using PWOs all spring ball for second team and third team.
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It's why people need to open up their eyes & stop making excuses for the staff on their recruiting misses.

When we consistently pull in short classes & miss on multiple targets it comes back to bite us in the *** because given how we're always hit with a rash of injuries we always end up super thin at multiple spots.

LB recruiting has been severely subpar & now that injuries are piling up we have to hope & pray guys get & stay healthy in time for when the season starts.

People will say it's no big deal because it's just Spring, but a lot of these guys will be missing valuable time by not getting these early Spring install reps, missing all this time catches up on the field later in the season because they have to spend all Fall camp catching up to what they missed & then when the season starts when you see guys missing tackles & blown assignments it's because they simply didn't have enough time to learn the system in full.

This same thing is primed to happen at other positions to, people just aren't going to believe it until it happens. That's why it's necessary for us to improve recruiting, especially on Defense because the lack of depth will cost us in the long run.

Depth is insurance & right now we're really walking a thin line.
 
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There's no point in mentioning Jennings or Steed as neither will ever play.

It is extremely concerning that so many LBs are already hurt at a position of youth. And we are one injury away from bedlam at CB, as has been noted ad nauseam by several posters on this board.
 
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Did I count THREE Academic Redshirts?

I googled it- if a player gets less than a 2.3GPA in highschool they have to sit out their first fall season... 2.3 should be pretty achievable I would hope...
 
Liberty City El said:
It's why people need to open up their eyes & stop making excuses for the staff on their recruiting misses.

When we consistently pull in short classes & miss on multiple targets it comes back to bite us in the *** because given how we're always hit with a rash of injuries we always end up super thin at multiple spots.

LB recruiting has been severely subpar & now that injuries are piling up we have to hope & pray guys get & stay healthy in time for when the season starts.

People will say it's no big deal because it's just Spring, but a lot of these guys will be missing valuable time by not getting these early Spring install reps, missing all this time catches up on the field later in the season because they have to spend all Fall camp catching up to what they missed & then when the season starts when you see guys missing tackles & blown assignments it's because they simply didn't have enough time to learn the system in full.

This same thing is primed to happen at other positions to, people just aren't going to believe it until it happens. That's why it's necessary for us to improve recruiting, especially on Defense because the lack of depth will cost us in the long run.

Depth is insurance & right now we're really walking a thin line.
Click to expand...

2017 - Wilder, Steed, Jennings
2018 - None
2019 - Huff, Brooks
2020 - Austin-Cave, Flagg

- Richt not even recruiting any LB's in 2018 was a total failure in roster management
- Even if you like all these guys potential - Miami getting only one 4 Star (Huff) guy at any position group over a 4 year period is inexcusable
 
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