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Post-camp thoughts (long)

Lance Roffers said:
Additionally, we can run some 10 personnel this year and Restrepo can be on field as well.

There may even be some true spread looks in 00 personnel. Motion Brashard into backfield out of that look as well.

I wouldn’t be surprised with X playing 25% of snaps this year. That’s ~20-25 snaps a game in this offense.
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Sounds reminiscent of the old Dennis Erickson "Dump off, dump off, take off" offense of the early to mid 90's.
 
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IndayArtHauz said:
Of all the good news we’ve heard from camp, Carter turning into a stud after the position change is the pill I just cannot swallow.

“He’s more comfortable and natural at striker”? Yep, sure, get it. “He’s a revelation.” Pardon?

It’s not even that I am so down on the guy, the equation just doesn't work for me.
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I get it Inday. Believe me I do. The kid has so much physical potential that it is beyond frustrating watching him be put in positions where he had little chance to succeed.

I've been wanting to see this move for a few years now. Personally, I have no problem believing that his move to Striker has allowed him to play to his strengths to a much larger degree. The catch is exactly what @LuCane said. The move to Striker while no doubt being beneficial to Carter isn't going to be some cure all. Opposing OCs will immediately attempt to isolate him in man coverage thus exposing him. I think the staff need to be very aware of the types of situations they put him in and make a conscious effort to put him in packages/situations that will allow him to do what he does best and that is attacking aggressively downhill.
 
rsa coral gables said:
ford doesn't have the dawg in him. i just don't see it. silvera has it some of the time, willis had it ALL OF THE TIME. Ford, not so much. I think that's what he's lacking and that isn't teachable. you have it or you don't have it.
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If you guys can go back to his recruitment I came on this board and advised after I watched him play against MIRAMAR (WHO HAD 2 DIV 1 QUALITY LINEMAN..I ACTUALLY THINK BOTH MIGHT BE NFL GUYS NOW OR ABOUT TO).....Dillard had Jon Ford playing DE, and had a 5'9 220 pd kid playing NG. lol

I knew right there...he has flashes at times where he shows the dog...but hes a basketball guy at heart so its not a consistent thing.

VT last year he showed it...if he can play half of this szn like that in hopes of being a draft pick he will be a good one
 
LuCane said:
I've been a big Hall fan since he arrived. Unfortunately, his game is sometimes limited by his reactions/processing more than his physical traits. Tough to really judge that from HS games and tapes. At times, he appears a step late to react or even hesitant - not because he's shy about contact, but seemingly because I can only presume he doesn't want to **** up. I mentioned it on a few DB reviews over the past couple years. He'll then have a really solid game and you're like "where'd that assertiveness come from?" Hope TRob and crew can get him closer to his potential.
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Totally agree would love to see him put it together, make it to NFL maybe as an UDFA, then ball out.
 
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The Svengali said:
Yes, but can a 5’8 QB seen over the OL and DL to get him the ball in the middle of the field on a consistent basis??

Many of these plays across the middle might not be doable because of Kings’ height.
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Less to do with his height and more to do with his hesitation.

He doesn't trust his eyes and refuses to pull the trigger on throws over the middle unless the receiver has 5+ yards of separation.

Plenty of short QBs have diced teams up throwing over the middle. They just so happen to be fearless
 
Jassid82 said:
(P.S. - Huff is turning into one of the biggest disappointments in recent memory. The light not coming on for him at this stage has really set the LB room back. 3rd year in the program and still cant even get in the 3 deep on the depth chart??????? Smh)
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Huff is the defensive version of Jeremiah Payton for me. Every off-season you think to yourself, this guy is about to emerge, it's time - but nope. And then during the actual season, you forget he is even on the team. Arguably the least talented position group and he can't crack the 2 deep? He might be a career special teamer. What's he weighing? He's got size/length, I wonder if they ask him to pack on a few more pounds and try his hand at being a situational pass rusher to salvage his career. If he can't get any meaningful snaps this year, I can definitely see Troutman and Tyler passing him up which probably means he is portal bound.
 
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DMoney said:
Now that camp is done, it's a good time for a breakdown of where each position stands. This is based on things I've seen with my own eyes and things I’ve heard from multiple sources.

QB- Most important thing first: D’Eriq King looks 100%. You don’t know for sure until live pressure, but the average person watching practice would have no idea he got hurt. If anything, he looks faster due to weight loss. The battle between Tyler Van Dyke and Jake Garcia should go through next year. Different people within the program have different preferences. TVD has NFL physical tools and does everything the coaches ask him to do. He will execute the offense as drawn and performed well in the second scrimmage. He may be even better in live contact due to his strong legs and ability to handle tacklers. Garcia is the more natural passer. He spreads the ball, has a quicker release and is deadly accurate. He was also better in the first scrimmage. Both guys appear good enough to play right now and, aside from Dorsey and Kaaya, are miles beyond our other QBs this millennium at the Greentree stage. This position is a strength of the team.

RB- The top two guys for Bama should be Cam Harris and Don Chaney. Everyone looked good at the second scrimmage, including Chaney and Jaylan Knighton breaking long runs. Knighton is much improved from a mediocre spring and should factor in as the year goes on. Cody Brown is ahead of Thad Franklin, largely due to reliability. Brown showed up in good shape and plays like a bigger Travis Homer. He had several pancakes as a pass blocker and has excellent contact balance. Franklin is a 1K talent but showed up out of shape and missed the second scrimmage due to injury. Overall, this is another strong position.

WR- No change at the top from spring- the top guys are Mike Harley (by far), Charleston Rambo, Keyshawn Smith and Xavier Restrepo. Harley is devastating in the slot due to his combination of vertical speed and quickness. Rambo needs to catch the ball more consistently. Smith made a big play in the second scrimmage and has the best releases on the team. He also needs a bit more consistency and understanding of the position. He's the best overall athlete, though. Restrepo makes plays every day and is a favorite target of all three QBs. He is quick and smart like the best slot receivers, but also brings added YAC value due to his RB build.

Mike Redding needs consistent availability. The three freshmen receivers were the story of both scrimmages and will all play. Jacolby George is the most natural receiver in terms of changing speeds, tracking the ball and winning at the LOS. His big hands and long arms allow him to play bigger than he looks. Romello Brinson is long, fast and tough. He made plays in both scrimmages. Brashard Smith is the most dynamic after the catch and brings a YAC element we lacked last year. He may play the most early due to his versatility as a runner and receiver. Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins could be odd men out with the emergence of the young guys. They may still play due to the nature of our offense, but their inconsistencies remain. While this position still lacks an alpha, #1 X-receiver, it is much improved from a talent standpoint.

TE- There are two impact talents at this position: Will Mallory and Elijah Arroyo. The key for Mallory is just staying healthy after various injuries. Arroyo looks and runs like Mallory, but is already bigger and more physical. He is going to be a big part of this year’s team. The other TEs are more limited and are well behind the top two. Larry Hodges and Khalil Brantley are similar H-back type players. Dom Mammarelli is still working his way back from injury.

OL- Much improved. Biggest difference is at guard. You have Navaughn Donaldson (6’6, 350) and Jalen Rivers (6’5, 325) replacing Jakai Clark (6’3, 305) and Delone Scaife (6’3, 306). Corey Gaynor has athletic limitations but the coaches consider him one of our top 2 linemen going into the season. As Coach Justice noted, he tried to do other peoples’ jobs for them last year. He will be much better alongside the big boys. Zion Nelson should be good to go for Bama. Scaife and Jarrid Williams have been holding down the tackles and both should play at RT.

Depth is not as good following injuries to Clark and John Campbell, who had a really nice spring. Justice Oluwason is working tackle and guard and, while on the shorter side, looks like a good athlete. The backups beyond him are more questionable. Laurance Seymore has gotten the most second-team reps at C and should be a good one with more development. Ousman Troure, Zalontae Hillary and Kai-Leon Herbert have age but haven’t distinguished themselves. Ryan Rodriguez is a likely redshirt, needs more strength. Should be a good technical guard in the future. Michael McLaughlin needs a lot of work, the injury in spring set him back. He has the size. Chris Washington needs more weight. Isaiah Walker is the most talented athlete of the group but the focus with him is health. Cleveland Reed is not game-ready.

DT- This is the most underrated position on the team. The key here is Jess Simpson. Multiple coaches have said he is the best coach on the staff, and those who worked with in 2018 rave about his results. Jon Ford (6’5, 315) and Jordan Miller (6’4, 320) are in the best shape of their lives and have seven years of experience between them. They look like SEC linemen and should contribute to improvement against the run. Nesta Silvera needs to focus on using his hands and staying disciplined within an already aggressive upfield scheme. Jared Harrison-Hunte is a perfect scheme fit with surprising strength. Remember, Jess Simpson recruited him.

Leonard Taylor is as advertised. He made big plays in both scrimmages and most practices. Think a bigger, stronger, better version of Gerald Willis being coached by Simpson. Elijah Roberts is still on the lighter side but is too athletic and instinctual to keep off the field. He consistently makes plays. I like him getting snaps at DE over the course of the year. Allan Haye has good football instincts and has also made plays. Solid rotational talent in the future, although his upside is below Taylor, JHH or Roberts.

DE- I’m worried here, moreso for the Alabama game than the ACC schedule. We need a little more length and size. DeAndre Johnson is probably the top guy and can make plays in the backfield. Zach McCloud is a better DE than LB due to his effort and not having to read/react. Jahfari Harvey is also more OLB/DE size but is very good at redirecting to the QB and making plays during chaos and DL games. All three are below our DEs last year but capable of making ACC sacks in this defense.

Chantz Williams brings the best combination of size, effort, strength and speed. He’s not that coordinated or flexible, which hurts him on the straight pass rush. I suspect the positives will outweigh the negatives. He’s also good at getting in passing lanes (Ben Wallace-type HS basketball player). Thomas Davis makes plays when healthy, despite his height. Jabari Ishmael is likely redshirt. Upside remains high due to length, he can disrupt plays almost by accident.

LB- The weak spot of the team. The best chance for a true impact player is Keontra Smith. We’ve been calling for the position switch for a while, and he has flourished immediately. Verified 4.55 speed and plays fast. Good instincts in the box and made a lot of plays in both scrimmages. Corey Flagg had an excellent second scrimmage and looks like the starter at MLB. He's a solid option for now despite physical limitations. Sam Brooks can jump in the rotation as he gets healthier from his toe surgery. Very physically developed and elite athletic tools when healthy. Waynmon Steed is a solid veteran. The key for him is continuing to regain his pre-injury athleticism. Bradley Jennings is the same guy he was, some physicality but limited. Avery Huff lost some of the momentum he had in spring. Still about the mental game with him. Tirek Austin-Cave made some strides with the MLB move before getting nicked up. He is back and a guy with potential to move up the depth chart. Deshawn Troutman is a true LB but small. Tyler Johnson is still getting acclimated. Both seem like redshirt candidates.

Striker- Maybe the best position on the defense. Don’t be surprised to see multiple “striker-bodies” on the field at once. NFL scouts thought Gil Frierson was one of our best players last year. He has lost some excess weight from spring and should be a major contributor. Amari Carter has been a revelation at striker. Playing closer to the ball has highlighted his strengths (play recognition, physicality) while limiting some of his weaknesses (long-speed, tightness). Some people think he is our best striker. Chase Smith looks like a future first round pick- length, frame, speed, instincts, striking ability. I believe we should move him to LB. He can make a Keontra-like impact there and give us two true talents at a need position.

Safety- Another good position. Bubba Bolden and Gurvan Hall are locked in and playing well under TRob. One of our new staff members believes Hall is as physically talented as any safety he’s ever been around. Kamren Kinchens has been an INT machine in camp and is a favorite of the staff. His intangibles are elite. Brian Balom is almost physically identical to Kinchens and should be a solid rotation guy. James Williams is too special not to see the field somewhere. I can see him getting used how Amari Carter was used early in his career, especially as a blitzer. He is capable of playing safety but is best closer to the ball. Safety highlights some of his weaknesses with long-speed and breaking down for open-field tackles at 6’5. In total, he has a good attitude and can do a lot of different things. Keyshawn Washington looks like a backup type, a more talented Knowles.

Cornerback- We have a very good top three and then some question marks. Tyrique Stevenson is built like a LB and hits like one. He’s also athletic enough to return punts. There are some foot quickness issues against smaller receivers, but he is a baller with aggression. DJ Ivey is the most talented cover guy on the team and the most dominant practice corner since spring. TRob has publically and privately compared his skillset to Jaycee Horn. The ifs—and they are big ones—are his ability to confidently play the ball and tackle in games. Te’Cory Couch is a competitor with surprising length and a lot of life in his feet. Ideal nickel corner. Al Blades is still working his way back. In my unprofessional opinion, he should focus on getting leaner/quicker as opposed to stronger.

Isaiah Dunson is aggressive in run support and has some ball skills. Questions with him are strength and speed. Marcus Clarke flashes but needs to be more consistent mentally and as a tackler. Jalen Harrell fits better at striker in terms of size and speed, IMO. Malik Curtis missed the beginning of camp due to family issues, but can run and made some nice open field tackles in the scrimmages.

Kicker- Andre Borregales looks like the real deal. Different body type than his brother (more of a soccer player build) but same strength and accuracy.

Overall, we are a similar team to last year with some key improvements. First, our OL is more experienced across the board and bigger inside. Second, we added some stud defensive coaches (Simpson, TRob, Shoop) with big-league experience. Third, we are better at the skill positions with high-level overall speed. Fourth, this freshman class looks like the real deal and should contribute heavily over the course of the year. Finally, we are one of the oldest and most experienced teams in the nation.

There are really two schedules- the Bama game and everything else. If we can perform well against Bama, I think this team has what it takes to ride that momentum to real success. We cannot afford a stinker.
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@DMoney

I appreciate the excellent breakdown as well as your insight into the team. I think you summarized fall camp as well as individual and position group performances as well as could be expected. I think you hit it on the head. To add a few of my thoughts here....

In terms of the concerns at DE and the DL in general I agree that DT is a good, deep and underrated group whereas the DE position is a potential concern. To me Simpson will be a huge key here. Jess Simpson is an excellent coach who develops and gets the best from his players. Im not worried about DeAndre Johnson but the trio of McCloud, Harvey and Chantz Williams are clearly in need of further improvement and development. Spring and Fall camp will only take you so far. There is no substitute for reps in real live game action for a player to learn and grow. The trio above will be much better by the end of the season for this reason and there are few coaches I would rather have overlooking their development than Jess Simpson. It's important to note that Harvey and C.Williams both have a good amount of talent and potential for Simpson to work with. I think sometimes we as fans tend to dwell on things like the fact that we lost Phillips, Rousseau and Roche and that we don't currently have anyone on that level at DE. That may be true but it's important to remember that we don't necessarily need to have 1st round draft picks at DE or any other position to be successful in college. Give me players with good talent, flaws and all then give me a great coach to develop them and you will get some excellent results. I believe the same applies to our DE situation. We may not be where we want to be by the Alabama game but with a little patience we will get there. Elijah Roberts could be an X factor at DE. He has good size at 6'4" 275 with the quickness and athleticism necessary at DE. I can also see Thomas Davis begin to contribute as the season progresses. Roberts should be ready to contribute now and Davis is just a true freshman but the overall theme applies to them just as it does the entire DE group. They will steadily improve throughout the season.

The good news here is that the DT position is much more experienced and deep. I agree that the duo of Ford and Miller have the look of a pair of SEC DTs. These are grown men and they will be key in our effort to stop the run. Silvera and Harrison-Hunte are both playmakers who I expect will take their game to the next level. This 4 man rotation at DT will be key in both stopping the run and creating havoc and disrupting the middle of opposing OLs thus taking the pressure off of our relatively inexperienced DEs.

Leonard Taylor could be a huge piece of this entire puzzle and may be the key that transforms this DL from good to great. Since arriving he has shown the staff that he is just as advertised and maybe more. DMoney describes Taylor as a bigger, stronger, more athletic and more talented Gerald Willis. If this is true and I know that it is then it is only a matter of time until Taylor begins to completely transform this Defensive Line. Forgive all the hyperbole but Leonard Taylor is a rare player who is fully capable of single handedly elevating the entire DL and by extension the entire defense.

The LB position is the weakest on the team but there is some potential upside here without question. Frankly I'm not quite sure what to make of Jon Patke as a developer of talent but he has a tremendous opportunity here to take this unit and get them to exceed expectations. I'm excited to see what Keontra Smith can bring to the defense at Will. This is a move that I have supported for over a year now and it's great to finally see Smith taking advantage of the opportunity by locking up the starting spot. K.Smith will bring speed, energy and sideline to sideline range with good instincts and hitting ability. Corey Flagg has won the job at Mike with a tremendous work ethic and knowledge of the playbook. Flagg is a very instinctive player who is always around the ball. The issue with Flagg are his physical and athletic limitations. He doesn't posses great speed or size and is not a gifted athlete.

To me the key here will be the season long competition between Tirek Austin-Cave, Sam Brooks, Waynmon Steed and the 2 starters listed above. IMO it's crucial that Austin-Cave continue to get better, put pressure on and push Flagg for the starting job. Waynmon Steed may be the healthiest he has been since high school. Steed is instinctual and experienced in this defense and will get every opportunity to contribute. Sam Brooks is finally 100% healthy and it is imperative that he also continues to improve and push the others for playing time. I would also like to see some blitz packages for Brooks that showcase his ability to rush the passer.

I know that Chase Smith is at Striker and James Williams at Safety but I'm going to include them here because word is that Diaz has some sub packages that include the 2 and their ability to create mismatches that the offense will not be able to handle. I agree with DMoney and Lance about moving Chase Smith to Mike and James Williams to Striker in the future. For the time being however those 2 should see a good amount of playing time and should get better with each game.

Gilbert Frierson should be primed for the best season of his career at Striker with Amari Carter trying to push for playing time at a position better suited to his abilities.
 
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ssvir said:
Head-to-head impact? Yes he has targeted more people than a Special Forces sniper
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I’d also bet he has more tackles. Probably has more int and pbus too. I understand the frustration of the board with the penalties. But he is around the ball a lot. I’ve never seen a Miami safety disappear like 26 does.
Heck just look at fall camp, literally nothing from any reports. It took until D$s end of camp position by position breakdown to even hear his name.
Rewatch some condensed games. He make 2-4 really solid tackles a game. I rewatched a few and found myself pleasantly surprised at his play.

Full disclaimer don’t rewatch UNC, lol. Not a good day for AC. Though it wasn’t a good day for anyone on D in general
 
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I think Jess Simpson deciding to return to Miami isn't mentioned nearly enough. The defensive line was playing on athleticism alone last year. The NC game exposed last year's defensive staff.

Discipline and understanding the game will be like night and day compared to last year and that's because of Jess Simpson. I think he's the best coach on Miami's staff. No disrespect to TRob because I'm an Auburn Alum.
 
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HOLISTIC CANE said:
I think Jess Simpson deciding to return to Miami isn't mentioned nearly enough. The defensive line was playing on athleticism alone last year. The NC game exposed last year's defensive staff.

Discipline and understanding the game will be like night and day compared to last year and that's because of Jess Simpson. I think he's the best coach on Miami's staff. No disrespect to TRob because I'm an Auburn Alum.
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Those are great points. This is why Im not as concerned with our issues at DE. I know Simpson will teach and develop these kids to their maximum potential.

The UNC game last year may have been the worst coaching job I have ever seen. Baker was a dead man walking after that embarrassment and so were Stroud and Rumph. With the addition of T. Rob, Bob Shoop and Jess Simpson we have literally transformed the defensive staff into one of the best we have ever had here in Miami. They will make a noticeable difference.
 
Bama going to pound that rock. Hope Manny is getting the ST's ready ol Nick loves drawing up some stupid **** in these big games after having all off-season to look for a hole
 
canesthing3 said:
Y’all talk about Flagg like he was a junior last year instead of a true freshman that dealt with COVID. Is it too much to ask to give a player 2 seasons before we write them off?
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Two seasons in college!!!!??????

Lol brother, people already writing off Jacurri Brown 2 drives into his first game of his HS senior season.

I've seen people writing off James Williams as a safety already.

And you want Flagg to have 2 seasons? Lol. Not on CIS my friend. Not here.
 
Canezum5 said:
Less to do with his height and more to do with his hesitation.

He doesn't trust his eyes and refuses to pull the trigger on throws over the middle unless the receiver has 5+ yards of separation.

Plenty of short QBs have diced teams up throwing over the middle. They just so happen to be fearless
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Read the espn article posted today and you may see why he played like that
 
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