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One of senior CB Jhavonte Dean’s biggest issues last season was not turning and finding the ball in coverage. At least for one day, Dean finally showed the ability to get his head around in a timely manner, recording two interceptions in this weekend’s scrimmage working with the first team defense.
“This is my last year and in that scrimmage, coach (Manny) Diaz talked about having the potential to make plays,” Dean said. “So I just went out there and did my job and found the ball.”
“One was in zone - my man ran up, the ball was thrown over the middle late so I was able to get there, pick the ball off. The other one was a slant route, the quarterback threw it late, I jumped in front of it and got the interception.”
Dean has spent most of the fall as UM’s #3 corner, but has gotten more time with the one’s due to Trajan Bandy’s undisclosed injury. Bandy, who UM considers day-to-day, has worked off to the side on the exercise bike the past two days.
Without Bandy and with Dean now with the one’s, UM has had freshmen corners DJ Ivey and Al Blades Jr. working with the two’s and Dean expanded a bit on their progress.
“DJ is coming along, he’s got that confidence, major technique,” Dean said. “DJ is pushing all the corners. We need competition, people to push us.
“Al is coming along well. He’s fast, very technique sound. He’s also coming along well.”
**Sophomore WR Mike Harley is technically the backup in the slot right now behind Jeff Thomas, but has been working in at Z receiver as well and occasionally seeing first team reps.
“When Jeff (Thomas) is in at the slot I can come in for (Lawrence) Cager at Z," Harley said. "If Cager’s at wideout, I can come in at slot. So I’ll be getting a lot of reps with the ones, twos.”
Harley had a big play in the one-minute drill of Saturday’s scrimmage on fourth down: “Caught a drag route for a good 25, 30 yards, not sure the exact yardage. Caught the ball, got out of bounds, kept the drive alive.”
What has he been working to improve this off-season?
“I’d say patience at the line, working my hands,” Harley said. “I got way better from last year - if the cornerback was in my face off the jam last year I’d pull up my hands, but coach (Ron) Dugans and I worked a lot this off-season and now. So my hands and my release is way better and attacking the ball in the air.”
On the three freshmen QB’s, Harley said: “They have the plays down pat now. They just have to be consistent.”
The team began prepping for the LSU opener officially this week, but don’t tell that to Harley: he’s been in the film room on his own to study the Tigers since the end of last season.
“I’ve been studying LSU since the spring,” Harley said. “As a unit we just hopped in on LSU game plan, we’re prepping.”
**WR Jeff Thomas dropped a pass early in this weekend’s scrimmage, but later responded with a 20-yard catch from Malik Rosier on a crossing route over the middle to convert a third down.
“The scrimmage went good,” Thomas said. “The first team, we still have some things to work on, but we’re getting there. There was adversity I had to get through, I had a dropped ball, had to get over it, move on.”
As the competition for the #2 QB job goes on, both N’Kosi Perry and Cade Weldon got reps with the first team offense so that the coaches could see how they work with the first unit in a live setting.
“They’re looking good,” Thomas said on the pair. “The QB’s are rotating so they can get on the same page with the wideouts. They’re all looking very good, being consistent and getting to know the playbook more.”
How has LSU prep gone on Thomas’ end?
“Everyone is getting on the same page,” Thomas said. “We’re just getting ready for LSU so we can have a good game against them.”
**Sophomore safety Amari Carter sees the Miami defense taking another step from last season’s successes.
“All around the ball, the defense is making plays, from the defensive line to the linebackers and DB’s,” Carter said. “We’re just getting better every day.”
Carter has been working with the second team defense, but it has mainly been Robert Knowles that has been the first safety off the bench in the #3 safety role. What does Manny Diaz tell Carter he needs to work on to continue ascending the depth chart?
“The major thing he talked about was being consistent, being the guy they needed me to be right now, being the best me I can be,” Thomas said. “I want to be well-rounded around the ball. I can do a lot of things to help out this team.”
The Canes have brought in a talented freshman DB class and Carter has liked what he’s seen from them so far.
“The young guys are coming along really well. It’s about being the same player you are on Greentree,” Carter said on advice for the young DB’s. “Just consistency, being who you are, playing the game you love.”
“This is my last year and in that scrimmage, coach (Manny) Diaz talked about having the potential to make plays,” Dean said. “So I just went out there and did my job and found the ball.”
“One was in zone - my man ran up, the ball was thrown over the middle late so I was able to get there, pick the ball off. The other one was a slant route, the quarterback threw it late, I jumped in front of it and got the interception.”
Dean has spent most of the fall as UM’s #3 corner, but has gotten more time with the one’s due to Trajan Bandy’s undisclosed injury. Bandy, who UM considers day-to-day, has worked off to the side on the exercise bike the past two days.
Without Bandy and with Dean now with the one’s, UM has had freshmen corners DJ Ivey and Al Blades Jr. working with the two’s and Dean expanded a bit on their progress.
“DJ is coming along, he’s got that confidence, major technique,” Dean said. “DJ is pushing all the corners. We need competition, people to push us.
“Al is coming along well. He’s fast, very technique sound. He’s also coming along well.”
**Sophomore WR Mike Harley is technically the backup in the slot right now behind Jeff Thomas, but has been working in at Z receiver as well and occasionally seeing first team reps.
“When Jeff (Thomas) is in at the slot I can come in for (Lawrence) Cager at Z," Harley said. "If Cager’s at wideout, I can come in at slot. So I’ll be getting a lot of reps with the ones, twos.”
Harley had a big play in the one-minute drill of Saturday’s scrimmage on fourth down: “Caught a drag route for a good 25, 30 yards, not sure the exact yardage. Caught the ball, got out of bounds, kept the drive alive.”
What has he been working to improve this off-season?
“I’d say patience at the line, working my hands,” Harley said. “I got way better from last year - if the cornerback was in my face off the jam last year I’d pull up my hands, but coach (Ron) Dugans and I worked a lot this off-season and now. So my hands and my release is way better and attacking the ball in the air.”
On the three freshmen QB’s, Harley said: “They have the plays down pat now. They just have to be consistent.”
The team began prepping for the LSU opener officially this week, but don’t tell that to Harley: he’s been in the film room on his own to study the Tigers since the end of last season.
“I’ve been studying LSU since the spring,” Harley said. “As a unit we just hopped in on LSU game plan, we’re prepping.”
**WR Jeff Thomas dropped a pass early in this weekend’s scrimmage, but later responded with a 20-yard catch from Malik Rosier on a crossing route over the middle to convert a third down.
“The scrimmage went good,” Thomas said. “The first team, we still have some things to work on, but we’re getting there. There was adversity I had to get through, I had a dropped ball, had to get over it, move on.”
As the competition for the #2 QB job goes on, both N’Kosi Perry and Cade Weldon got reps with the first team offense so that the coaches could see how they work with the first unit in a live setting.
“They’re looking good,” Thomas said on the pair. “The QB’s are rotating so they can get on the same page with the wideouts. They’re all looking very good, being consistent and getting to know the playbook more.”
How has LSU prep gone on Thomas’ end?
“Everyone is getting on the same page,” Thomas said. “We’re just getting ready for LSU so we can have a good game against them.”
**Sophomore safety Amari Carter sees the Miami defense taking another step from last season’s successes.
“All around the ball, the defense is making plays, from the defensive line to the linebackers and DB’s,” Carter said. “We’re just getting better every day.”
Carter has been working with the second team defense, but it has mainly been Robert Knowles that has been the first safety off the bench in the #3 safety role. What does Manny Diaz tell Carter he needs to work on to continue ascending the depth chart?
“The major thing he talked about was being consistent, being the guy they needed me to be right now, being the best me I can be,” Thomas said. “I want to be well-rounded around the ball. I can do a lot of things to help out this team.”
The Canes have brought in a talented freshman DB class and Carter has liked what he’s seen from them so far.
“The young guys are coming along really well. It’s about being the same player you are on Greentree,” Carter said on advice for the young DB’s. “Just consistency, being who you are, playing the game you love.”
