A 10-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes following practice on Thursday night:
▪ What young players - in their second or third years here - have made the biggest improvement?
Manny Diaz cited Keontra Smith - who moved from striker to will linebacker - and said safety Brian Balom “has been impressive. Missed that guy in the spring. Brian has a really big future.”
Diaz said defensive end Chantz Williams “has done some nice things this camp; he’s shown he has a lot of promise ahead of him.”
Williams should end up as one of UM’s top four defensive ends, with Deandre Johnson, Zach McCloud and Jahfari Harvey. (Another defensive end, freshman Jabari Ishmael, was in a neck brace on Thursday.)
Offensively, Diaz cited receivers “Key’Shawn Smith, Michael Redding, Xavier Restrepo. The last two classes, the 20 and 21s, are some dudes, some good players.”
▪ Two of the five scholarship running backs weren’t subjected to contact in Thursday night’s first padded practice.
Cam’Ron Harris, the 5-10, 210-pound fourth-year junior, was wearing a red, non-contact jersey reserved for those banged up or limited. So was Don Chaney Jr., who had offseason shoulder surgery after an injury in the second spring scrimmage.
But Diaz said both of those backs will be out of those jerseys soon and both will be available for the Sept. 4 opener against Alabama in Atlanta.
Harris, Chaney and Jaylon Knighton are essentially competing for the top two spots at tailback. Knighton lined up with the first team on Thursday, with Harris and Chaney limited.
Freshmen Cody Brown and Thad Franklin are the other running backs on scholarship.
▪ Linebacker Sam Brooks, who missed the spring with a toe injury, was back at practice and will be available against Alabama, Diaz said.
And Diaz doesn’t seem concerned about the linebacker unit, which has been maligned.
“In my mind, we’re better than we were a year ago but we’re not there yet,” Diaz said. “All of the guys in that room have upped their game. But now with it being such an open competition, it’s like race cars and they take turns nosing out in front of each other.
“And that’s good. Because when that happens, the race cars are all driving faster, which is the thing we were lacking a year ago. I feel we have depth. By next weekend, I’m looking for some guy to say ‘I’m not just good enough to play. I’m the guy who has to be out there first play of the game.’”
▪ Presumed starting left tackle Zion Nelson began practice on the sideline, with D.J. Scaife at left tackle. Nelson was fully dressed in uniform but wasn’t involved in the part of practice open to media.
But Diaz suggested Nelson’s injury isn’t serious and that Nelson will be available for the Alabama game.
Jalen Rivers has remained the first-team left guard all camp, with Corey Gaynor at center, Navaughn Donaldson at right guard and Jarrid Williams at right tackle.
▪ We’re told Donaldson is in better shape and has been very impressive. “It’s great to have Navaughn back,” Harris said. “He’s been running very well. Taking on two [defensive players] and opening holes, that’s what running backs need.”
▪ Three of UM’s second-year receivers have impressed, and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson offered a scouting report on each of them.
On Keyshawn Smith, who’s taking first-team snaps: “My first impression is he can take the top off [defenses because of his speed]. He’s got natural releases. If you let him stack you, he will take the top off. I always bring my A game with him.”
On Restrepo: “He’s very talented. We show a presentation of a fox jumping into some snow. That’s Restrepo. He doesn’t leave his feet. He’s the only receiver I know that puts that much effort. He doesn’t wear gloves. He’s a great receiver.”
On Redding: “He might not be the fastest.. But he’s big and strong. It’s a big battle. I love going against him.”
▪ More receiver talk: Mark Pope was back practicing after limping off Saturday and missing Tuesday’s session. UM freshman receiver Romello Brinson missed practice with a soft tissue injury but is expected back “any day now,” Diaz said....
Diaz said the other two freshmen receivers -- Jacolby George and Brashard Smith - “keep making plays. They keep making mistakes too because they’re freshmen and it goes really, really fast.” ...
What has Charleston Rambo most enjoyed about the UM experience after transferring from Oklahoma?
“I enjoy what Rhett Lashlee has going and play calling.”
Rambo trained hard all summer and said “I’m way better than in 2019. My body has changed. I bring speed over the top, being that guy.”
▪ Diaz said that more 85 percent of UM players have been vaccinated and those that are not vaccinated can’t do everything that the others can.
“The unvaccinated players have to do some different things than the vaccinated players because of what’s going on,” Diaz said. “We have to avoid potentially triggering contact tracing. Sitting in meetings together, those types of things. Some guys, while we’re meeting, have to watch the meeting on the Jumbotron. Those guys - choice not withstanding -are putting themselves exposed.”
▪ Ed Reed, UM football’s chief of staff, attended practice for the first time this fall, according to Stevenson, and players were pleased he was there.
Receiver Charleston Rambo said he likes having Reed “in my ear” offering tips to both the defensive backs and wide receivers.
Stevenson told Reed: “We need to start having some conversations.”
Asked how often he’s out here, Reed told reporters: “I’m here all the time. You just don’t see me.”
▪ The Canes were in full pads for the first time, and limited to “thudding” in drills, meaning no actual take-him-to-the-ground tackling.
“We’ve got to put our guys in situations where we are comfortable in chaos,” Diaz said. “The next step is being able to do simple things well in chaotic environments.”
UM will have its first fall camp scrimmage on Sunday; it’s closed to fans and the media.
