After a physical and impressive opening camp on Tuesday, Wednesday morning produced the same fireworks on day two of fall camp for the Miami Hurricanes. Here's the biggest reactions, storylines and notes from myself, Ahmmon Richards and @DMoney.
- The defense clearly won Day 2, specifically the defensive backs. Miami's DB's controlled one-on-one drills with physical coverage at the point of contact, sticking with wideouts down the field which led to a multitude of turnovers.
- Defensive back OJ Frederique led the way with two interceptions - one on a crossing route and the other on an endzone deep ball --- showcasing both his own and the staff's priority to secure turnovers this season.
- Other standout defensive backs included freshman Camdin Portis who would've had a pick 6 down the sideline if it was a live game, JJ Dunnigan who showcased his rangy ability across the field for a PBU and Cortez Redding who snagged the highlight of the day with a one-handed interception
- While the top of the DB chart seems solid with Frederique and Xavier Lucas, don't be surprised to see some of these younger corners eat away at playing time. Two guys I'm watching closely - Jaboree Antoine and Jaelen Waters; depth here is incredible.
- The intensity remained high throughout practice, with the energy being carried past the media viewing portion as the staff pumped crowd noise into the IPF. Coach Dawson specifically was getting into his recievers during drills today.
- In the trenches, the defensive line continues to generate pressure. Watching the rotations showed the versatility of the interior especially --- with guys like Ahmad Moten Sr., Justin Scott and Armondo Blount all having the ability to play three downs.
- On the O-line, Joel Ervin impressed with his athleticism. At 6-foot-7 and north of 330 pounds, his footwork was really eye-opening. Additionally, there was plenty of cross training at guard and tackle with freshmen Jackson Cantwell/Ben Congdon getting reps at guard and Matt McCoy/Sampson Okunlola getting reps at tackle.
- Tight end Gavin Mueller had a solid day, winning a lot of his one-on-ones. Both himself and Israel Briggs certainly look the part at the position.
- Miami's linebacker room physically stands out with the frames and the strength. I'd monitor LB3 between Kellen Wiley Jr. and Bobby Pruitt.
- I want to see how Darian Mensah responds on Friday. One of the questions I asked him before the Spring game was how he handles bad days against this great defense because he was just coming off a day where the "defense won." And as we saw in the Spring Game, Mensah came out carving up the Miami defense. This isn't saying Mensah had a bad day, more so how he uses a "defense won" as fuel.
For the full break downs and immediate reaction, check out the videos down below:
- The defense clearly won Day 2, specifically the defensive backs. Miami's DB's controlled one-on-one drills with physical coverage at the point of contact, sticking with wideouts down the field which led to a multitude of turnovers.
- Defensive back OJ Frederique led the way with two interceptions - one on a crossing route and the other on an endzone deep ball --- showcasing both his own and the staff's priority to secure turnovers this season.
- Other standout defensive backs included freshman Camdin Portis who would've had a pick 6 down the sideline if it was a live game, JJ Dunnigan who showcased his rangy ability across the field for a PBU and Cortez Redding who snagged the highlight of the day with a one-handed interception
- While the top of the DB chart seems solid with Frederique and Xavier Lucas, don't be surprised to see some of these younger corners eat away at playing time. Two guys I'm watching closely - Jaboree Antoine and Jaelen Waters; depth here is incredible.
- The intensity remained high throughout practice, with the energy being carried past the media viewing portion as the staff pumped crowd noise into the IPF. Coach Dawson specifically was getting into his recievers during drills today.
- In the trenches, the defensive line continues to generate pressure. Watching the rotations showed the versatility of the interior especially --- with guys like Ahmad Moten Sr., Justin Scott and Armondo Blount all having the ability to play three downs.
- On the O-line, Joel Ervin impressed with his athleticism. At 6-foot-7 and north of 330 pounds, his footwork was really eye-opening. Additionally, there was plenty of cross training at guard and tackle with freshmen Jackson Cantwell/Ben Congdon getting reps at guard and Matt McCoy/Sampson Okunlola getting reps at tackle.
- Tight end Gavin Mueller had a solid day, winning a lot of his one-on-ones. Both himself and Israel Briggs certainly look the part at the position.
- Miami's linebacker room physically stands out with the frames and the strength. I'd monitor LB3 between Kellen Wiley Jr. and Bobby Pruitt.
- I want to see how Darian Mensah responds on Friday. One of the questions I asked him before the Spring game was how he handles bad days against this great defense because he was just coming off a day where the "defense won." And as we saw in the Spring Game, Mensah came out carving up the Miami defense. This isn't saying Mensah had a bad day, more so how he uses a "defense won" as fuel.
For the full break downs and immediate reaction, check out the videos down below:
