Offensive line has gone from a liability to strength for Hurricanes
The University of Miami offensive line has grown up.
What two years ago was undoubtedly the team’s weakness now is one of the deepest positions, and should continue its climb in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“I feel like, for the most part, the biggest thing was for us to all be together,” left tackle Zion Nelson said after Miami’s third spring practice and first with shoulder pads. Nelson has blossomed from 235 pounds his senior year at Sumter High in South Carolina to his current 315 pounds — with about 16 percent body fat. “I’m really happy about that.
“I want to become more dominant on the field. I’d say I’m good, but I’m nowhere near where I want to be.’’
When 6-6, 308-pound right tackle Jarrid Williams announced he was returning to UM in 2021 for his seventh year of college football instead of entering the NFL Draft, that signified the return of the entire starting lineup. Actually, at least eight current Hurricanes linemen have started games: Nelson, left guard Jakai Clark, center Corey Gaynor, right guard DJ Scaife and Williams were the main starters last season, with Navaughn Donaldson, Ousman
Traore and John Campbell also logging starts.
Nelson said 6-5, 325pound second-year freshman Jalen Rivers has been alternating with Clark this spring at left guard.
OVERALL OFFENSIVE GAINS
Last season, the Hurricanes finished 32nd nationally in total offense, with 439.8 yards a game — 277.3 passing (29th best nationally) and 162.5 rushing (67th best). They averaged 6.02 yards per play.
The Canes allowed 30 sacks (for 190 yards lost) in 2020, the total tied with South Florida for 116th nationally. Nonetheless, it was an improvement from allowing 51 (for 316 yards lost) in 2019, ranked 128th of 130 FBS teams. In sacks allowed per game in 2020, UM gave up 2.73, ranked 99th.
“Age has to do with a lot of it,” Gaynor, a redshirt junior, said this week. “We were a very young unit back in 2019. We progressively have gotten better. We’re primed for a good year this year. It needs to be great because we have a lot of veteran experience.”
Rushing offense is a priority.
“In order to run the ball effectively it’s an entire offensive deal,” said Gaynor, who is listed as 6-4 and 300 pounds and said he gained 11 pounds in the offseason. “Wide receivers have to block, tight ends have to block, and most importantly, the offensive line has to block better.
“Running the ball has to be done better, and us getting bigger and stronger in the second year of this offense, that’s going to help a lot.”
DONALDSON ‘MOJO BACK’
Gaynor said senior Donaldson, a former vaunted Miami Central All-American who sat out all but the final two games last season after rehabbing from offseason major knee surgery, “is arguably looking the best I’ve ever seen him.”
“Navaughn is going to have his mojo back,” Gaynor said.
The Canes’ newest linemen include 6-7, 265-pound tackle Michael McLaughlin out of Parkland Stoneman Douglas, where Gaynor played. “Big Mike, I thought he’s done well with the offseason program,” Gaynor said. “There are a lot more practices for him to get better.”
Nelson, who struggled in 2019 as a rare true freshman starter at left tackle, earned a 79.7 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, the third best in the ACC among left tackles, over the final six games of 2020, according to 247Sports.
“For the most part, my confidence probably comes from preparation,” said Nelson, who goes against defensive end Jahfari Harvey in practice. “Freshman year, I didn’t really know how exactly to work around the whole college thing, just trying to keep up with school, the weight room and all that good stuff. Now I’ve got everything on track — or, I don’t have everything on track, but I try to for the most part. All that good stuff that coaches put us through, it just really helps.”
Miami, at least as of last week, had been pursuing former UNLV lineman Justice Oluwaseun, who is in the transfer portal and was listed as a two-star prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings. UNLV had him as a 6-3, 325-pound tackle and sometimes guard. He has two seasons of college eligibility remaining. He recently announced Miami had offered him a scholarship, and was coached by current UM offensive line coach Garin Justice when Justice was at UNLV.
SPRING GAME UPDATE
ESPN announced that UM’s April 17 spring game will kick off at 11 a.m. and will be televised by ACC Network. UM coach Manny Diaz said last week that as of then it seemed that fans would not be allowed — but perhaps that will change. Diaz said UM was trying to secure Hard Rock Stadium, but ESPN did not announce the spring game location.
Hurricanes secondyear freshman receiver Keyshawn Smith also spoke after practice Thursday on Zoom video conference, and was asked how the young quarterbacks looked. Smith, from San Diego, has a special connection with freshman Jake Garcia, who is from the Los Angeles area.
QB GARCIA ‘MY GUY’
“Jake is my guy,” Smith said. “I speak to him all the time. He’s cool. We’re both from the West Coast, so we get along with each other. He’s a nice dude. He has an arm, he can read. He’s someone to look at for the future.”
Sophomore cornerback Te’Cory Couch said he doesn’t really know Garcia, but he does know secondyear freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke because “Tyler’s been here the longest, so I’ve really seen him. Couch said Van Dyke “really has a good touch on the ball when he’s throwing it. He throws a really good ball. He fits it in tight spaces.”
Susan Miller Degnan: 305-376-3366, @smillerdegnan