scrantoncane
Sophomore
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- Nov 5, 2011
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CORAL GABLES — A few updates from Wednesday morning’s practice …
* Junior Sam linebacker Charles Perry, running as a second-teamer behind starter Zach McCloud, missed the early part of practice. The Royal Palm Beach High alum was wearing a sling on his left elbow and riding a stationary bike. Teammates and coaches have spoken positively about his development.
Others working at Sam: true freshman De’Andre Wilder and walk-on Eddie Dunn. True freshman Waynmon Steed, still out with a knee injury, was hitting the sled and appears closer to a return.
* True freshman wideout and punt returner Jeff Thomas was on the bike and not participating in early drills. Thomas was not wearing a brace or showing any outward sign of injury. His absence put Lawrence Cager back at punt returner for another day, next to true freshman DeeJay Dallas. Maybe Lawrence Cager, 6-foot-5 Punt Returner may be a thing after all? He has strong hands and good speed, so he appears capable of filling a role there, though it seems he may be needed more as an big-body receiver and red-zone threat.
* Sophomore tight end Michael Irvin II, who returned to practice Tuesday, did a short conditioning stint before jumping into drills. Irvin was dealing with dehydration early in camp.
* Another sophomore starting slow, linebacker Michael Pinckney, was conditioning. Pinckney has been limited by a hamstring injury.
* Redshirt junior Darrion Owens has been running with the first team in Pinckney’s absence. “He was ‘that guy,'” defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said Tuesday of Owens, before his 2015 knee injury. Diaz also said redshirt junior Mike Smith has been “active and making plays … some guys, they just lock in and realize it’s their time to make an impact on the team. You see that with Mike.” Diaz also praised the recovery of redshirt sophomore Jamie Gordinier and the improvement of true freshman Bradley Jennings and redshirt junior Terry McCray.
“All those guys should be fighting for some role to help Miami win games,” Diaz said.
We’ll talk to Smith, who UM planned to also use as a fullback, after Wednesday’s practice. Also speaking: offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and wideouts Ahmmon Richards and Braxton Berrios.
* Diaz, speaking after Tuesday’s practice, was high on his defensive tackles. Starters Kendrick Norton and RJ McIntosh, both juniors, are “not satisfied” with last year’s production, he said. The two combined for 19.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Sophomore Pat Bethel, a converted end, was raised (by his father, former Canes tight end Randy Bethel) to “give you everything he has.” Anthony Moten, Diaz said, is “starting to raise his game.” No better time for that for Moten, a 6-foot-4, 315-pound senior.
Then there’s true freshman Jon Ford, who has yet to enroll but has intriguing potential at 6-5 and close to 300 pounds. Asked how quickly Ford could acclimate, Diaz used a metaphor. “It’s like opening a present,” he said. “You had one left under the tree. You’re putting your tree [out] a couple weeks after Christmas and all of a sudden there’s one left in there. We’ll open it up, see if we can plug it in and play.”
* In Saturday’s scrimmage at Hard Rock Stadium (closed to public and media, by the way), Diaz said he’s looking to see if his team can tackle, especially in the secondary. He’s also waiting to see if the young and inexperienced players can play well outside of Greentree. “Even if the stadium’s empty, sometimes just being on the stage, the game moves a little faster,” he said.
* True freshman offensive lineman Zalon’tae Hillery (right foot/ankle in boot) and wideout Evidence Njoku (hyperextended left knee) were also riding the Tour de Greentree.
* Practice visitors have been a limited lot, but a Cleveland Browns rep (later discovered to be former UM linebacker Glenn Cook, a Browns scout) and coaches from Miami-Booker T. Washington High were spotted on the field.
* Junior Sam linebacker Charles Perry, running as a second-teamer behind starter Zach McCloud, missed the early part of practice. The Royal Palm Beach High alum was wearing a sling on his left elbow and riding a stationary bike. Teammates and coaches have spoken positively about his development.
Others working at Sam: true freshman De’Andre Wilder and walk-on Eddie Dunn. True freshman Waynmon Steed, still out with a knee injury, was hitting the sled and appears closer to a return.
* True freshman wideout and punt returner Jeff Thomas was on the bike and not participating in early drills. Thomas was not wearing a brace or showing any outward sign of injury. His absence put Lawrence Cager back at punt returner for another day, next to true freshman DeeJay Dallas. Maybe Lawrence Cager, 6-foot-5 Punt Returner may be a thing after all? He has strong hands and good speed, so he appears capable of filling a role there, though it seems he may be needed more as an big-body receiver and red-zone threat.
* Sophomore tight end Michael Irvin II, who returned to practice Tuesday, did a short conditioning stint before jumping into drills. Irvin was dealing with dehydration early in camp.
* Another sophomore starting slow, linebacker Michael Pinckney, was conditioning. Pinckney has been limited by a hamstring injury.
* Redshirt junior Darrion Owens has been running with the first team in Pinckney’s absence. “He was ‘that guy,'” defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said Tuesday of Owens, before his 2015 knee injury. Diaz also said redshirt junior Mike Smith has been “active and making plays … some guys, they just lock in and realize it’s their time to make an impact on the team. You see that with Mike.” Diaz also praised the recovery of redshirt sophomore Jamie Gordinier and the improvement of true freshman Bradley Jennings and redshirt junior Terry McCray.
“All those guys should be fighting for some role to help Miami win games,” Diaz said.
We’ll talk to Smith, who UM planned to also use as a fullback, after Wednesday’s practice. Also speaking: offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and wideouts Ahmmon Richards and Braxton Berrios.
* Diaz, speaking after Tuesday’s practice, was high on his defensive tackles. Starters Kendrick Norton and RJ McIntosh, both juniors, are “not satisfied” with last year’s production, he said. The two combined for 19.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Sophomore Pat Bethel, a converted end, was raised (by his father, former Canes tight end Randy Bethel) to “give you everything he has.” Anthony Moten, Diaz said, is “starting to raise his game.” No better time for that for Moten, a 6-foot-4, 315-pound senior.
Then there’s true freshman Jon Ford, who has yet to enroll but has intriguing potential at 6-5 and close to 300 pounds. Asked how quickly Ford could acclimate, Diaz used a metaphor. “It’s like opening a present,” he said. “You had one left under the tree. You’re putting your tree [out] a couple weeks after Christmas and all of a sudden there’s one left in there. We’ll open it up, see if we can plug it in and play.”
* In Saturday’s scrimmage at Hard Rock Stadium (closed to public and media, by the way), Diaz said he’s looking to see if his team can tackle, especially in the secondary. He’s also waiting to see if the young and inexperienced players can play well outside of Greentree. “Even if the stadium’s empty, sometimes just being on the stage, the game moves a little faster,” he said.
* True freshman offensive lineman Zalon’tae Hillery (right foot/ankle in boot) and wideout Evidence Njoku (hyperextended left knee) were also riding the Tour de Greentree.
* Practice visitors have been a limited lot, but a Cleveland Browns rep (later discovered to be former UM linebacker Glenn Cook, a Browns scout) and coaches from Miami-Booker T. Washington High were spotted on the field.