A six-pack of Canes notes on Christmas Eve:
▪ As UM prepares for Thursday’s Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin, we hear Malik Rosier has continued to get many of the first-time snaps, while N’Kosi Perry said on social media on Sunday night that he’s suspended.
UM declined to comment on the accuracy of Perry’s suspension comment, which was made during an Instagram live feed of teammate Gilbert Frierson at a New York comedy show.
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On the feed, which was viewed by The Miami Herald, Perry can be heard saying “I’m suspended bro.” Others sitting around him urged him to keep quiet.
If Perry is suspended, it would be a departure from Mark Richt’s past policy of sending players home who were suspended for a bowl game. Perry accompanied the Canes to New York and has been at practice.
Perhaps Richt doesn’t want to further risk losing Perry to a transfer, with UM having only three quarterbacks on scholarship. Or perhaps by taking Perry to New York, Richt wanted Wisconsin to have to game-plan to face either Rosier or Perry.
Perry angered UM by posting a sexually explicit video on social media in September. That video, according to the student newspaper, has been circulated among UM students in recent weeks.
This marked the second time in two days that a UM player said something on social media that the school assuredly wishes he hadn’t. Brevin Jordan said in a Snapchat exchange that Malik Rosier will start Thursday’s game.
A source very close to a UM player said players have been left with the impression that Rosier is “the guy” for Thursday’s game and that Jarren Williams has received regular team work in practice, too.
Two sources said Perry was excluded from some team drills in practice last week, with Rosier and Williams getting those snaps. It’s unclear if that has changed since the team began practicing in New York on Sunday.
Perry made the comment about being suspended during a performance by comedian Leonard Ouzts, who asked starters to raise their hands. When he got to Perry, he said, “I’m suspended, bro” while others could be heard telling him not to say that.
▪ New co-defensive coordinator Ephraim Banda said that even with Manny Diaz leaving, it didn’t cost UM in recruiting.
“Coach Diaz always said it - some people are going to come to Miami if Donald Duck’s coaching,” Banda said. “They love it. Iit doesn’t matter to them. It’s true. You have to find those guys.
“Coach (Mark) Richt deserves credit. He didn’t wait, attacked this thing and got it done and settled the class defensively for us. That gave everyone comfort to know nothing is changing defensively.”
Though cornerback Jarvis Brownlee flipped to FSU and linebacker Anthony Solomon flipped to Michigan, those UM oral commitments weren’t likely to stick with the Canes even if Diaz hadn’t left.
▪ UM, which was originally cautiously optimistic about luring five-star receiver Jadon Haselwood from Georgia, has less reason for optimism now amid a flurry of reports that Oklahoma has emerged as a strong possibility.
247sports went as far as to say the Sooners are now the favorite to get him, with Georgia second and Miami running third.
▪ With Keon Zipperer signing with Florida, UM offered Clearwater-based two star tight end Brett Seither. He’s also considered Maryland, TCU and Michigan State, according to Rivals. UM already has one tight end in this class – Tampa-based Larry Hodges, who signed last week.
The Hurricanes intend to keep tight end an important part of the offense.
Incidentally, Jets and former UM tight end Chris Herndon leads all rookie tight ends with 38 receptions.
▪ Though some would say Kendrick Norton made a mistake turning pro after his junior year at UM –he went in the seventh round to Carolina and is now with the Dolphins – he insisted last week that his journey “really hasn’t been difficult. Some people’s outlooks on it might be different from mine but it hasn’t been difficult at all. It’s been a great learning experience. This year I learned a lot from a lot of great guys. I can’t wait to get this journey started.”
UM – in counseling its current juniors - has used Norton as an example of a player who thought he would be drafted higher than he was.
▪ Former UM receiver Jeff Thomas, who was dismissed from the team Thanksgiving week, announced he’s transferring to Illinois. One teammate said Thomas was homesick and wanted to be closer to where he attended high school in East St. Louis, Ill.
