GCane305
Keepin' it 💯
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Morning mail: Assessing LB depth, new Hurricanes jerseys and new players
Q: Starting LBs?
A: Though editorializing on crime stories is a dangerous thing for a reporter to do, let’s begin here: we hope all involved in Tuesday’s sad story find swift justice. We hope the victim finds peace.
While JaWand Blue and Alex Figueroa await their legal proceedings, let’s assess the football side of things.
Figueroa was a promising talent. He produced 17 tackles in nine games as a freshman, with injuries clearly keeping those numbers down. He missed the final four games of the season due to shoulder trouble (there was a rumor he was suspended for the bowl game against Louisville, but UM said that was not the case). He was to be the starting strong-side linebacker in 2014.
During spring practices in March and April, coaches said Blue was coming on strong. He was in the mix to be Denzel Perryman‘s backup at middle linebacker. He had an experience edge over early enrollee freshman Juwon Young, having played in two games as a redshirt freshman in 2013.
At strong-side linebacker, Figueroa’s backup would have been senior Thurston Armbrister — they were listed as co-starters on the post-spring depth chart — and incoming freshman Darrion Owens was their backup. It stands to reason UM might let junior Tyriq McCord challenge Armbrister and Owens.
In the spring, McCord battled sophomore Al Quadin Muhmmad to be the starting weak-side defensive end (or “rush” end). Both played on opposite ends in UM’s third-down, 4-3 “speed” package last season. The two ended as co-starters, along with incoming freshman Trent Harris.
McCord, listed at 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, was UM’s third-string “Sam” linebacker last season, though he saw time almost exclusively as a defensive end. In 12 games playing mainly on third downs, he registered 13 tackles (four for loss), a team-best four sacks, two interceptions, one pass break-up, one fumble recovery and three forced fumbles.
He was the only Cane with an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery and the first UM player since Sean Taylor in 2003 to force a turnover in three consecutive games.
Though he was on the post-spring depth chart as a defensive end, UM currently lists his position as linebacker; that change was made before Blue and Figueroa got into trouble. Making him a full-time “Sam” would allow Muhammad and perhaps standout newcomer Chad Thomas to be the pass-rush ends, with Ufomba Kamalu and Anthony Chickillo playing on run-heavy downs. It could mean more practice reps for Harris and could allow UM to let Owens develop in a redshirt season.
The loss of Blue at middle linebacker means more action for early enrollee Juwon Young. Perryman, UM’s best defensive player, does not come off the field much — last year only Chickillo (1,967) played more snaps than Perryman’s 1,563 — so barring injury, UM is set at that spot. Blue would have provided depth, a task that now falls on Young.
McCord at Sam, Perryman in the middle, Raphael Kirby on the weak side. If UM decides to play a true 3-4, how about McCord and Muhammad (or Thomas) as OLBs?
Q: Who’s next to commit in 2015?
A: Attacking these combo-style. UM clearly has a hot hand in recruiting this summer. UM has had 10 commits in the last three-plus weeks. The latest are 2015 running back Jordan Scarlett and 2016 receiver Sam Bruce, who announced for UM on Tuesday.
The next player to commit could be Dredrick Snelson, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound 2016 wide receiver from Plantation-American Heritage. He is expected to announce Saturday, and may have tipped his hand on Twitter:
Dredrick Snelson @D_Snelson2
Them boys bringing the "U" Back..Stay tuned for my commitment Saturday.
3:46 PM - 9 Jul 2014
46 Retweets 48 favorites
Snelson, a three-star prospect according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings, is highly regarded elsewhere: ESPN.com rates him as a four-star prospect, the No. 2 receiver in the country and the 11th-best prospect in the 2016 class.
Q: Can you see any big 2015 targets committing soon because of the recent success on the recruiting trail?
Q: How much an impact could Scarlett/Bruce commits have on swaying Ridley and Burgess-Becker?
A: While playing with friends is always a positive for recruits, it’s merely one of many factors in a commitment. And while recruits want to win national championships, landing a bunch of highly rated promises nothing. So it’s tough to quantify any domino effect of UM’s string of recent commitments. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have new faces throwing up the ‘U’.
Scarlett told the Miami Herald he wants to get in the ear of Coconut Creek-Monarch 2015 receiver Calvin Ridley and safety Shawn Burgess-Becker, two four-star prospects committed to Alabama. In January, both said they would announce their decisions and were expected to choose the Canes. They delayed their choices and later pledged to ‘Bama.
Ridley and Burgess-Becker reportedly have known Scarlett since their youth football days, and have long been Miami fans. Similar to the first question, it certainly couldn’t hurt to have Scarlett recruiting them.
Q: How many of these commits actually stick?
A: Signing day is slightly less than seven months away, so plenty can change. As you know, a verbal commitment is non-binding. You never know who’s going to end up signing on the dotted line in February.
As for 2015 commits that might waver, look first to the backfield. UM currently has four commits, all consensus four-star prospects: Dexter Williams, Mark Walton, Jordan Cronkrite and Scarlett. Even though Duke Johnson is a strong candidate to leave for the NFL with a successful, healthy junior season, that’s a lot of running backs in one class. Especially when UM might have Joseph Yearby, Gus Edwards and Walter Tucker vying for carries.
Williams, who lives in Winter Park and has several Florida fans in his family, is a candidate to flip. Cronkrite on Friday told the Herald he “doubts” he would stick with his commitment to UM if Scarlett joined the class. Another wild card: Walton, who previously said he reclassified from 2016 to 2015, recently told CaneSport.com he was “50/50″ to be in the 2015 class. (You still with me?)
Q: When do organized team drills start and who will be our starting QB?
A: Fall practice will begin Aug. 5, which is a Tuesday. It will be hot outside and players, coaches and reporters alike will be sweaty. As for the quarterbacks, Kevin Olsen will start camp as the No. 1 guy. The second-stringer will be Brad Kaaya,Malik Rosier, Jake Heaps or Gray Crow.
But you probably weren’t asking that … you want to know who’s starting at Louisville on Labor Day. My pre-camp answer is Olsen, who will get at least one game to show what he’s made of. That’s unless Heaps, Kaaya or Rosier blow him away, or Ryan Williams makes a remarkably fast comeback from his torn ACL.
Roster updates: Tuesday, UM added several walk-ons to its roster, including a kicker who may compete for the starting job and another one of Al Golden‘s nephews.
Weston-Cypress Bay product Jon Semerene, seen in this video kicking a (wind-aided) 70-yard field goal, at least has the leg strength to challenge returning starter Matt Goudis, a redshirt junior, and several other walk-ons.
UM added fullback Matt Golden, who played at the the coach’s alma mater Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic. Another Al Golden nephew and RBC product, redshirt freshman receiver Greg Golden, signed with the Canes last year.
Other walk-ons added this week: offensive linemen Sterling Jackson (Oviedo-Hagerty), Adam Arnaout (Westlake Village, Calif.) and Justin Goldberg (Cypress Bay).
New numbers: Last week, UM officially added several new scholarship players to its roster, including:
11 - DT Michael Wyche (6-4, 330), Jr.
16 – QB Jake Heaps (6-1, 210), R-Sr.
23 – TE Christopher Herndon (6-4, 225), Fr.
50 – LB Terry McCray (6-3, 205), Fr.
55 – DT Joe Brown (6-4, 320), Fr.
67 – OL Tyler Grimsley (6-3, 267), Fr.
86 – WR David Njoku (6-4, 215), Fr.
http://caneswatch.blog.palmbeachpos...depth-new-hurricanes-jerseys-and-new-players/
Q: Starting LBs?
A: Though editorializing on crime stories is a dangerous thing for a reporter to do, let’s begin here: we hope all involved in Tuesday’s sad story find swift justice. We hope the victim finds peace.
While JaWand Blue and Alex Figueroa await their legal proceedings, let’s assess the football side of things.
Figueroa was a promising talent. He produced 17 tackles in nine games as a freshman, with injuries clearly keeping those numbers down. He missed the final four games of the season due to shoulder trouble (there was a rumor he was suspended for the bowl game against Louisville, but UM said that was not the case). He was to be the starting strong-side linebacker in 2014.
During spring practices in March and April, coaches said Blue was coming on strong. He was in the mix to be Denzel Perryman‘s backup at middle linebacker. He had an experience edge over early enrollee freshman Juwon Young, having played in two games as a redshirt freshman in 2013.
At strong-side linebacker, Figueroa’s backup would have been senior Thurston Armbrister — they were listed as co-starters on the post-spring depth chart — and incoming freshman Darrion Owens was their backup. It stands to reason UM might let junior Tyriq McCord challenge Armbrister and Owens.
In the spring, McCord battled sophomore Al Quadin Muhmmad to be the starting weak-side defensive end (or “rush” end). Both played on opposite ends in UM’s third-down, 4-3 “speed” package last season. The two ended as co-starters, along with incoming freshman Trent Harris.
McCord, listed at 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, was UM’s third-string “Sam” linebacker last season, though he saw time almost exclusively as a defensive end. In 12 games playing mainly on third downs, he registered 13 tackles (four for loss), a team-best four sacks, two interceptions, one pass break-up, one fumble recovery and three forced fumbles.
He was the only Cane with an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery and the first UM player since Sean Taylor in 2003 to force a turnover in three consecutive games.
Though he was on the post-spring depth chart as a defensive end, UM currently lists his position as linebacker; that change was made before Blue and Figueroa got into trouble. Making him a full-time “Sam” would allow Muhammad and perhaps standout newcomer Chad Thomas to be the pass-rush ends, with Ufomba Kamalu and Anthony Chickillo playing on run-heavy downs. It could mean more practice reps for Harris and could allow UM to let Owens develop in a redshirt season.
The loss of Blue at middle linebacker means more action for early enrollee Juwon Young. Perryman, UM’s best defensive player, does not come off the field much — last year only Chickillo (1,967) played more snaps than Perryman’s 1,563 — so barring injury, UM is set at that spot. Blue would have provided depth, a task that now falls on Young.
McCord at Sam, Perryman in the middle, Raphael Kirby on the weak side. If UM decides to play a true 3-4, how about McCord and Muhammad (or Thomas) as OLBs?
Q: Who’s next to commit in 2015?
A: Attacking these combo-style. UM clearly has a hot hand in recruiting this summer. UM has had 10 commits in the last three-plus weeks. The latest are 2015 running back Jordan Scarlett and 2016 receiver Sam Bruce, who announced for UM on Tuesday.
The next player to commit could be Dredrick Snelson, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound 2016 wide receiver from Plantation-American Heritage. He is expected to announce Saturday, and may have tipped his hand on Twitter:
Dredrick Snelson @D_Snelson2
Them boys bringing the "U" Back..Stay tuned for my commitment Saturday.
3:46 PM - 9 Jul 2014
46 Retweets 48 favorites
Snelson, a three-star prospect according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings, is highly regarded elsewhere: ESPN.com rates him as a four-star prospect, the No. 2 receiver in the country and the 11th-best prospect in the 2016 class.
Q: Can you see any big 2015 targets committing soon because of the recent success on the recruiting trail?
Q: How much an impact could Scarlett/Bruce commits have on swaying Ridley and Burgess-Becker?
A: While playing with friends is always a positive for recruits, it’s merely one of many factors in a commitment. And while recruits want to win national championships, landing a bunch of highly rated promises nothing. So it’s tough to quantify any domino effect of UM’s string of recent commitments. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have new faces throwing up the ‘U’.
Scarlett told the Miami Herald he wants to get in the ear of Coconut Creek-Monarch 2015 receiver Calvin Ridley and safety Shawn Burgess-Becker, two four-star prospects committed to Alabama. In January, both said they would announce their decisions and were expected to choose the Canes. They delayed their choices and later pledged to ‘Bama.
Ridley and Burgess-Becker reportedly have known Scarlett since their youth football days, and have long been Miami fans. Similar to the first question, it certainly couldn’t hurt to have Scarlett recruiting them.
Q: How many of these commits actually stick?
A: Signing day is slightly less than seven months away, so plenty can change. As you know, a verbal commitment is non-binding. You never know who’s going to end up signing on the dotted line in February.
As for 2015 commits that might waver, look first to the backfield. UM currently has four commits, all consensus four-star prospects: Dexter Williams, Mark Walton, Jordan Cronkrite and Scarlett. Even though Duke Johnson is a strong candidate to leave for the NFL with a successful, healthy junior season, that’s a lot of running backs in one class. Especially when UM might have Joseph Yearby, Gus Edwards and Walter Tucker vying for carries.
Williams, who lives in Winter Park and has several Florida fans in his family, is a candidate to flip. Cronkrite on Friday told the Herald he “doubts” he would stick with his commitment to UM if Scarlett joined the class. Another wild card: Walton, who previously said he reclassified from 2016 to 2015, recently told CaneSport.com he was “50/50″ to be in the 2015 class. (You still with me?)
Q: When do organized team drills start and who will be our starting QB?
A: Fall practice will begin Aug. 5, which is a Tuesday. It will be hot outside and players, coaches and reporters alike will be sweaty. As for the quarterbacks, Kevin Olsen will start camp as the No. 1 guy. The second-stringer will be Brad Kaaya,Malik Rosier, Jake Heaps or Gray Crow.
But you probably weren’t asking that … you want to know who’s starting at Louisville on Labor Day. My pre-camp answer is Olsen, who will get at least one game to show what he’s made of. That’s unless Heaps, Kaaya or Rosier blow him away, or Ryan Williams makes a remarkably fast comeback from his torn ACL.
Roster updates: Tuesday, UM added several walk-ons to its roster, including a kicker who may compete for the starting job and another one of Al Golden‘s nephews.
Weston-Cypress Bay product Jon Semerene, seen in this video kicking a (wind-aided) 70-yard field goal, at least has the leg strength to challenge returning starter Matt Goudis, a redshirt junior, and several other walk-ons.
UM added fullback Matt Golden, who played at the the coach’s alma mater Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic. Another Al Golden nephew and RBC product, redshirt freshman receiver Greg Golden, signed with the Canes last year.
Other walk-ons added this week: offensive linemen Sterling Jackson (Oviedo-Hagerty), Adam Arnaout (Westlake Village, Calif.) and Justin Goldberg (Cypress Bay).
New numbers: Last week, UM officially added several new scholarship players to its roster, including:
11 - DT Michael Wyche (6-4, 330), Jr.
16 – QB Jake Heaps (6-1, 210), R-Sr.
23 – TE Christopher Herndon (6-4, 225), Fr.
50 – LB Terry McCray (6-3, 205), Fr.
55 – DT Joe Brown (6-4, 320), Fr.
67 – OL Tyler Grimsley (6-3, 267), Fr.
86 – WR David Njoku (6-4, 215), Fr.
http://caneswatch.blog.palmbeachpos...depth-new-hurricanes-jerseys-and-new-players/
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