UM’s Mirabal: No plan to move Rivers off left tackle
Catching up on the Miami Hurricanes, with Pro Day scheduled for Monday and spring practice scheduled to resume Tuesday:
Though there has been A
some speculation that Jalen Rivers could possibly move from left tackle to left guard, offensive line coach Alex Mirabal
said that’s not the plan.
“Someone is always trying to move Rivers,” Mirabal told WQAM’s Joe Rose. “I don’t know why. Unless someone is significantly better than him at left tackle, you don’t want to waste all those reps at left tackle [only to change his position later]. Our plan is to play him at left tackle ....
“We’re not going to mess with him. He’s so intelligent and mentally flexible that it’s so easy for him [to change positions]. But at some point, you have to say it’s not fair to the kid. Let him grow with a spot. That’s what we’ve decided to do with Jalen.”
And “for that to change, somebody is going to have him beat him out of tackle,” Mirabal said.
Rivers played guard earlier in his UM career but was an effective left tackle last season.
Second-year player
A
Samson Okunlola, considered the nation’s top offensive tackle in the 2023 class, has played some guard this spring. So what is he long-term — a tackle or guard?
“I see him playing tackle, but he has the versatility to be able to play guard,” Mirabal said. “Everyone talks about five-star stuff. He’s got a five-star work ethic. Same with [right tackle Francis Mauogia].
“Samson is doing really well. He’s been the best example of how someone should deal with it when they’re coming back from being injured.”
Mirabal said new center A Zach Carpenter, the Indiana transfer who’s replacing NFL-bound
Matt Lee, is a “really, really great player. He’s got 30-something starts at center and has done a heck of a job at center.”
Mirabal also raved about his right guard: “People don’t talk about
Anez Cooper .Alotof Mauigoa’s success last season was the fact he was playing with big Coop, and getting [Mauioga] to be on the same page as he was on. Cooper slimmed to 335, 330” this spring.
During the final spring practice before spring break began, UM’s firstteam offensive line (from left to right) was Rivers, said. “I’ve seen the most
Lou Cristobal, Carpenter, improvement at corner Cooper and Matthew from the fall; he’s doing
McCoy, who was filling in really well.” for the injured Mauigoa. At 6-foot-1, Richard has
The second team on good length and decent that day, from left to right: speed.
Junior college addition He wore oven mitts at a
Markel Bell, Okunlola, recent practice as a mental
Ryan Rodriguez, Logan reminder not to hold, but Sagapolu and Tommy it wasn’t punishment.
Kinsler. “We’d been holding a bit.
On the defensive side, Put the ovens on to keep
A there’s a microscope on them from holding,” Guidry
Jadais Richard, who’s said. trying to win a top-three Richard said he has cornerback rotation spot. dropped to 205 to 198
Richard has played with pounds. the starters so far this “I’ve gotten more muscle, spring and could end up way more lean,” Richard competing with Damari said. “When I came in,
Brown, who is missing I was pretty big, especially spring practice with an to be a corner.” injury, for the starting He said he’s faster now. boundary job opposite “Last year I was around
Daryl Porter Jr. The 19, 20 range [in miles per nickel job also remains hour], now 21, 22. So big open, with safety Mishael improvement for me.”
Powell working some Richard allowed 10 there. completions in 14 targets
Richard, who transferred for 120 yards last season to UM from Vanderbilt — metrics that will need to a year ago, is “doing improve. good,” defensive coordinator In his second year in Lance Guidry Guidry’s system, “I feel way more comfortable,” he said.
“Now it’s just me going out there reacting instead of thinking. Last year I was thinking, still trying to get familiar with the system.”
Richard said he told
A safety Savion Riley — UM’s newest Vanderbilt transfer — that “we had two major safeties leaving with Kam Kinchens and James Williams. That spot will be up for grabs. He wanted to accept that challenge.”
The battle for receiver
A jobs behind Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby
George remains one of the most fascinating storylines of spring practice. “We have a lot of… dudes that are going to be really good from Isaiah Horton to JoJo Trader,” cornerback Porter said. “They can really take the game to a new level.”...