UM has final scrimmage of camp
CORAL GABLES — After the final scrimmage of camp, Hurricanes running back Mark Walton had a question for his coach.
Turning to Mark Richt, Walton asked if Miami’s first string – which battled back from a simulated 24-point deficit to beat the scout team working as opening opponent Bethune-Cookman – had earned the same fancy dinner the scout team had gotten a year earlier when it won a similar practice game.
The response probably wasn’t what Walton was hoping to hear.
“No,” Richt said he told his preseason All-ACC running back with a hearty laugh. “You’re supposed to win.”
There may not be any steak or lobster for the Hurricanes on this Thursday night, but with less than 10 days left until the season opener, No. 18 Miami is starting to get a better idea of the kind of team it will have on the field when it opens the season against the real Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 2.
Malik Rosier, who on Tuesday was named the Hurricanes’ starting quarterback, had his moments, completing 18-of-32 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns, according to UM. Walton, meanwhile, had seven carries for 60 yards with two touchdowns. And the defense many expect will be a force in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season didn’t allow a score and forced multiple turnovers.
No, they didn’t tackle to the ground on Thursday. And yes, Miami was still lining up against teammates players know well, and there was some inconsistent play. But Richt said he still saw encouraging signs, including from running back Robert Burns and receiver Jeff Thomas, two freshmen that have battled nagging injuries throughout camp.
“At the end, we took him out just because we had seen enough and didn’t want to put him in a situation,” Richt said of Thomas, a four-star prospect hampered by a hamstring injury throughout camp. “You could see his talent, but you see he’s still not sure of what to do. I don’t know if he has more of a problem of what to do or how to do it. There was a route or two that he probably didn’t take the proper angle. If he takes a better angle, he may score instead of a catching, falling down kind of thing. … We want all of those guys to get ready to play.”
Even the Hurricanes’ short-yardage package — one area Richt has said he’s concerned with after the departures of big-bodied players like tight end David Njoku and running back Gus Edwards — seemed more effective on Thursday in a simulated game scenario, converting on a muchneeded opportunity.
“Like everybody in America, [we used] two tight ends and a receiver. It was good in that moment,” Richt said. “We’ll watch the tape and hopefully, it happened like you want it to happen – everybody got a hat on everybody, got a little movement, the back found a crease. Sometimes the defender just goes in the wrong gap and you score because of that. I’m hoping it was because we executed right rather than the defense messed up.”
The Hurricanes were without some of their key playmakers on Thursday.
Receiver Ahmmon Richards, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, was held out of the scrimmage, and Richt said his status is “questionable” for the opener against BethuneCookman.
Fellow receiver Braxton Berrios also sat out the scrimmage while dealing with a strained groin, Richt said. Defensive tackle Kendrick Norton, meanwhile, was held out while nursing an ankle injury.
Norton, expected to be one of the leaders of Miami’s deep defensive line, has been limited throughout the week. Left tackle Kc McDermott, who was held out of practice earlier this week, participated in Thursday’s scrimmage.