UM with worrisome situation at cornerback; Richt on Kaaya; UM hoops; Dolphins free agency notes; Eye-opening Joe Johnson numbers | Sports Buzz
• When UM begins its first spring practice under Mark Richt next week, Miami’s situation at cornerback should very much concern him. I can’t recall UM having such little proven depth, and so much uncertainty, at that position, with only one player with substantial experience (Corn Elder) and just five other natural corners on the 2016 roster.
UM is in this predicament because of early departures (Artie Burns), questionable evaluations by the former staff, and top recruit Tyler Byrd’s decision to flip to Tennessee on the eve of National Signing Day.
That means first-year cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph, the only former Hurricanes player on the assistant coaching staff, might have the toughest job of any UM assistant.
“I’m not worried,” Rumph said. “One of my best attributes is I feel I can create corners or take a corner as a project and make him a good player. I expect them to play like the top corners in the country. I have two walk-on corners; we have a good amount of safeties; and we have some linebackers who might be able to play defensive back as well. There’s a way we are going to have enough cornerbacks.”
Rumph said he sees “a lot of Duane Starks” in the 5-10 Elder, who had four tackles for loss and two interceptions last season. “I want him to be more of a Phillip Buchanon, lock-down corner,” Rumph said.
A quick look at the others:
• Sophomore Sheldrick Redwine, 6-1, who saw some action at corner last season, was consistently praised by last year’s staff and appears to have the best shot to start opposite Elder. He was rated the No. 43 cornerback in the country last season after picking off seven passes as a senior at Miami Killian. “Redwine is going to be a great player,” Rumph said.
• Sophomore Ryan Mayes, 6-1, who played largely on special teams last season, was portrayed as a rangy, play-making corner when he arrived as a three-star prospect from Miami Northwestern, but he hasn’t fulfilled expectations. “I’m looking to get more [from him],” Rumph said.
• Sophomore Michael Jackson, 6-2, played in 12 games on special teams and was a four-star prospect coming out of Birmingham, Ala, choosing UM over Minnesota and Nebraska.
• Sophomore Terrance Henley, 6-0, played only on special teams. He had nine interceptions in his final two seasons at Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, but was lightly recruited, choosing UM over James Madison, UAB, FIU, Temple, Tennessee State and Southwest Baptist.
• Malek Young, 5-9, is the only natural corner among the four incoming defensive backs, according to coaches. ESPN rated him the 34th-best cornerback in this class, and he was highly-recruited, choosing UM over Clemson, Ohio State, FSU and Georgia, among others.
“I got emotional when Malek committed to us,” Rumph said. “I know what it’s like to be committed to a team going through so much turmoil. Very natural, really good ball skills. Amazing kid, a thinker, very articulate.”
Of the other incoming defensive backs, Romeo Finley, Cedric Wright and Jeff James are safeties, though defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said James can play some corner.
Rumph and safeties coach Ephraim Banda said some of the safeties can play a corner-type role if needed, including Jaquan Johnson, who figures to get work at corner.
“We are going to put the best four, five, six guys on the field,” Banda said.
Former four-star cornerback JC Jackson has Miami as his No. 1 choice, according to his junior college coach. But after Rumph called Jackson and the coach expressing interest, we're told that UM –-- at least for now --– has stopped recruiting Jackson, who was acquitted on armed robbery charges last November. This was a decision of the coaching staff and the reason is unclear.
“We are going to have to grow up in a hurry at a position where any mistake is usually a touchdown,” defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. “We’re not going to do anything to put our corners in harms way. We want to be aggressive, but we also realize that giving up big plays is the surest way to get beat.”
• Richt raved about Brad Kaaya in a taped appearance on WQAM's Hurricane Hotline tonight.
He's "very smart, tremendous passing fundamentals, very, very accurate passer," Richt said. "He’s a guy, certainly, who’s been to war not only for one year, but two years. He understands the league. Now we’ve just got to teach him what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it and try not mess him up, because he’s a heck of a ballplayer.”
Kaaya has a generous soul, and Richt says he has a "hard time saying no" to certain requests, whether it be in community events or interviews.
“We have to help protect him from himself a little bit,” Richt said. “Help him focus on school, focus on football, have some free time to be a student and be a kid. He’s a guy everybody really likes, because when you have a guy like that with a humble spirit and a servant’s heart, people enjoy that. A lot of people want Brad Kaaya to go to this event or that event and be in the media, be the face of the program.”
• When UM begins its first spring practice under Mark Richt next week, Miami’s situation at cornerback should very much concern him. I can’t recall UM having such little proven depth, and so much uncertainty, at that position, with only one player with substantial experience (Corn Elder) and just five other natural corners on the 2016 roster.
UM is in this predicament because of early departures (Artie Burns), questionable evaluations by the former staff, and top recruit Tyler Byrd’s decision to flip to Tennessee on the eve of National Signing Day.
That means first-year cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph, the only former Hurricanes player on the assistant coaching staff, might have the toughest job of any UM assistant.
“I’m not worried,” Rumph said. “One of my best attributes is I feel I can create corners or take a corner as a project and make him a good player. I expect them to play like the top corners in the country. I have two walk-on corners; we have a good amount of safeties; and we have some linebackers who might be able to play defensive back as well. There’s a way we are going to have enough cornerbacks.”
Rumph said he sees “a lot of Duane Starks” in the 5-10 Elder, who had four tackles for loss and two interceptions last season. “I want him to be more of a Phillip Buchanon, lock-down corner,” Rumph said.
A quick look at the others:
• Sophomore Sheldrick Redwine, 6-1, who saw some action at corner last season, was consistently praised by last year’s staff and appears to have the best shot to start opposite Elder. He was rated the No. 43 cornerback in the country last season after picking off seven passes as a senior at Miami Killian. “Redwine is going to be a great player,” Rumph said.
• Sophomore Ryan Mayes, 6-1, who played largely on special teams last season, was portrayed as a rangy, play-making corner when he arrived as a three-star prospect from Miami Northwestern, but he hasn’t fulfilled expectations. “I’m looking to get more [from him],” Rumph said.
• Sophomore Michael Jackson, 6-2, played in 12 games on special teams and was a four-star prospect coming out of Birmingham, Ala, choosing UM over Minnesota and Nebraska.
• Sophomore Terrance Henley, 6-0, played only on special teams. He had nine interceptions in his final two seasons at Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, but was lightly recruited, choosing UM over James Madison, UAB, FIU, Temple, Tennessee State and Southwest Baptist.
• Malek Young, 5-9, is the only natural corner among the four incoming defensive backs, according to coaches. ESPN rated him the 34th-best cornerback in this class, and he was highly-recruited, choosing UM over Clemson, Ohio State, FSU and Georgia, among others.
“I got emotional when Malek committed to us,” Rumph said. “I know what it’s like to be committed to a team going through so much turmoil. Very natural, really good ball skills. Amazing kid, a thinker, very articulate.”
Of the other incoming defensive backs, Romeo Finley, Cedric Wright and Jeff James are safeties, though defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said James can play some corner.
Rumph and safeties coach Ephraim Banda said some of the safeties can play a corner-type role if needed, including Jaquan Johnson, who figures to get work at corner.
“We are going to put the best four, five, six guys on the field,” Banda said.
Former four-star cornerback JC Jackson has Miami as his No. 1 choice, according to his junior college coach. But after Rumph called Jackson and the coach expressing interest, we're told that UM –-- at least for now --– has stopped recruiting Jackson, who was acquitted on armed robbery charges last November. This was a decision of the coaching staff and the reason is unclear.
“We are going to have to grow up in a hurry at a position where any mistake is usually a touchdown,” defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. “We’re not going to do anything to put our corners in harms way. We want to be aggressive, but we also realize that giving up big plays is the surest way to get beat.”
• Richt raved about Brad Kaaya in a taped appearance on WQAM's Hurricane Hotline tonight.
He's "very smart, tremendous passing fundamentals, very, very accurate passer," Richt said. "He’s a guy, certainly, who’s been to war not only for one year, but two years. He understands the league. Now we’ve just got to teach him what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it and try not mess him up, because he’s a heck of a ballplayer.”
Kaaya has a generous soul, and Richt says he has a "hard time saying no" to certain requests, whether it be in community events or interviews.
“We have to help protect him from himself a little bit,” Richt said. “Help him focus on school, focus on football, have some free time to be a student and be a kid. He’s a guy everybody really likes, because when you have a guy like that with a humble spirit and a servant’s heart, people enjoy that. A lot of people want Brad Kaaya to go to this event or that event and be in the media, be the face of the program.”
