Frierson sees corner group coming together, says starting is the goal

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Stefan Adams

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Freshman cornerback Gilbert Frierson has mainly worked on the third team defense this fall as he continues to try to understand what it takes to be a Miami Hurricane, day in and day out.

“Camp’s going good. We working,” Frierson said. “I think I learned a little bit more coming in early (for spring), it helped me out.”

By coming in early during the spring, Frierson got a bit of a jump on some of the other freshmen corners like Al Blades and Nigel Bethel in terms of learning the defense. Frierson says he’s beginning to understand the defense to the point that he answers questions for Blades and Bethel.

“Yeah I show them. They know they can come to me if they need help with anything,” Frierson said. “At the end of the day, we all brothers and we’re here to help each other.”

That’s not to say Frierson is any type of expert in UM’s defense, though, and the coaches at UM relish the opportunity to remind the young guys of that. The staff puts together a blooper reel for the freshmen called “Welcome to College Football” and run the tape in team meetings sometimes. Frierson admits he’s made an appearance on the tape in the past.

“(Laughs) I showed up on a play during spring,” Frierson said. “It was a little tackle I had missed.”

To help the team cut down on those types of errors, the older corners at Miami are always staying on top of Frierson and others to make sure the young guys know and understand the concepts they’ll be running.

“I think we’re coming together good,” Frierson said on the corners. “The older guys, Mike Jack (Michael Jackson), Trajan (Bandy), (Jhavonte) Dean, they stay on us a lot. So, with them on top of us, it makes us want to work and contribute.”

How has he felt working in the scrimmages?

“It went well,” Frierson said. “Overall, still have a lot to improve on and meet my expectations: playing hard every play, getting to the ball, jumping on the pile.”

Adjusting to a higher level of competition is always something a freshman must endure, but Frierson says the receivers at Miami are much more advanced than he ever expected.

“I’m going to be honest, we’ve got all types of receivers, and all of them are tough,” Frierson said. “Because they give you a different game. You’ve got Ahmmon (Richards) that’s an older guy that’s been here, he’s advanced, (Lawrence) Cager’s advanced. Even the freshmen, they’re doing some things that I’m not used to. They all give us work, all the receivers are very good, talented. They work hard too, so we just make each other better.”

To begin the season, it appears as if UM is favoring the veteran corners to get the start against LSU week 1. However, it is Frierson’s goal to be starting by the end of the season and he believes he’s taken steps towards that this fall.

“I hope so, I’m working for that,” Frierson said on starting. “At the end of the day, I trust in the coaches and I believe if it’s right, it’ll happen. If not, I'll just believe in the process.”

What do the coaches tell him he has to do to reach that level?

“Right now, they tell me to work hard, know my plays, and my time will come.”
 
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Anytime I hear "Believe in the process" I get all PTSD.
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I’m going to be honest, we’ve got all types of receivers, and all of them are tough,” Frierson said. “Because they give you a different game. You’ve got Ahmmon (Richards) that’s an older guy that’s been here, he’s advanced, (Lawrence) Cager’s advanced. Even the freshmen, they’re doing some things that I’m not used to. They all give us work, all the receivers are very good, talented. They work hard too, so we just make each other better.

This right here is what those dumb LSU fans don't get. even if you're defense is the best in the country (which its not). We have way too many threats to be stopped and too much depth. we will have fresh legs all game long at all skilled positions.
 
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This kid is going to be a stud for us. Doesn't really matter where he is in the depth chart today. He'll be clocking a ton of snaps this season, as well as having a major role on STs. Coaches will find a way to get him on the field as a starter in 2019, whether at CB or S.
 
Coaches haven't been mentioning him in interviews. Not sure how he's doing in camp, and seems like he's behind both Ivey and Blades right now.
Being mentioned in interviews means absolutely nothing.

Sometimes coaches praise a player just to see how they respond to it, they were all singing Weldon's praise when he had a good practice, then the next scrimmage he played in he threw 5 picks.

Just because a player isn't being talked about in every interview doesn't mean they're struggling & just because a player is being talked about in an interview doesn't mean they're killing it either.

Never overreact to Coach speak. They never say everything that's happening in practice & meeting rooms.
 
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Being mentioned in interviews means absolutely nothing.

Sometimes coaches praise a player just to see how they respond to it, they were all singing Weldon's praise when he had a good practice, then the next scrimmage he played in he threw 5 picks.

Just because a player isn't being talked about in every interview doesn't mean they're struggling & just because a player is being talked about in an interview doesn't mean they're killing it either.

Never overreact to Coach speak. They never say everything that's happening in practice & meeting rooms.

I know. He still isn't being mentioned by anyone and right now is 6th or 7th string according to Rumph. Furthermore Rumph was slightly critical of him noting that he needs to learn to be more consistent. So all of this is pointing to him being behind the other frosh cb at the moment. Right now this is all we have even if the story is very incomplete as you mentioned.

Also Cade is getting reps with the #2's now so he is very much in the mix to be QB #2. Richt has said he may name co-#2 QBs so not sure why one would not believe him. Rosier said Cade was completing a higher percentage than any of the QBs too. It's not just coach speak and sometimes it's the truth.

Never take coach speak as gospel, but at the same time never dismiss it as inaccurate either. None of this is set in stone, it's all fluid, and most these kids are frosh. This is the picture that's being painted right now.
 
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According to Rumph....

1) Jackson
2) Bandy
3) Dean
4) Ivey
5) Blades

6 and 7 are Bethel and Gil and no idea in what order.

Pecking order seems about right from the few interviews I've heard also. Don't understand why it's so hard for some folks to accept that a true frosh isn't ready. And good for Dean for proving His doubters wrong.
 
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I know. He still isn't being mentioned by anyone and right now is 6th or 7th string according to Rumph. Furthermore Rumph was slightly critical of him noting that he needs to learn to be more consistent. So all of this is pointing to him being behind the other frosh cb at the moment. Right now this is all we have even if the story is very incomplete as you mentioned.

Also Cade is getting reps with the #2's now so he is very much in the mix to be QB #2. Richt has said he may name co-#2 QBs so not sure why one would not believe him. Rosier said Cade was completing a higher percentage than any of the QBs too. It's not just coach speak and sometimes it's the truth.

Never take coach speak as gospel, but at the same time never dismiss it as inaccurate either. None of this is set in stone, it's all fluid, and most these kids are frosh. This is the picture that's being painted right now.

I think in every interview about EVERY player the coaches say this. Every player needs to be more consistent, except for GOAT Jaquan
 
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Gil was one of our top CB recruits and I'm happy "IF" the others like Bethel , Ivey and Blades are performing just as well because it means we were solid in our evals although CB defections in SoFL are becoming common place.

yup. I just noticed that all four of them are from Dade. Not 100% sure Blades was born in Dade but it's in his blood....
 
All these young corners we have are dogs. When their JR year comes around & you add guys like Sam Brooks to the mix it’s going to be an old school Miami D. These guys LOVE the U.
 
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He could possibly benefit from a redshirt.....similar 4* ranking #20 cb coming out of hs as Williams (lsu)...who is now a top nfl prospect....5* fulton was in the same class....we continuously complain about not getting the top rated dbs from sfla.....we can also continue to develop 3* sleepers like Jackson...bet many teams would love to have our dbs....
 
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