Hurricanes still need leaders
Dallas, St. Louis trying to guide teammates
CORAL GABLES — Before the Hurricanes opened spring practice, they knew they’d be faced with the challenge of trying to replace their leading receiver Braxton Berrios and a powerhouse running back in Mark Walton. Two experienced offensive linemen Kc McDermott and Trevor Darling had graduated. So, too, had steady veteran tight end Chris Herndon.
And although Miami may have talented young players that can fill those voids on the field, after one week of spring practice, it’s become clear to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown there’s something still missing — in a big way.
“We lack leadership and even though in practice, we made a lot of plays — most of them Saturday — there’s no one else celebrating but the guys on the field. That can’t happen,” Brown said after the Hurricanes wrapped up their fourth practice of the spring on Tuesday morning. “We’re not going to be a selfish or lazy football team. We’re going to come out and compete every single day and it’s a privilege and opportunity to be here and put this uniform on and I expect those guys to come out and compete every single day.
“I know we’ve got some young guys that have a lot of thinking involved with what they’re doing, but I tell them all the time, even if you screw up, screw up going full speed. Compete. We’ll clean it up on tape. The lack of effort, lack of intensity, that’s not going to happen. We’re not going to have it.”
There are indications that Brown’s frustration is getting through, at least to some of his players.
Sophomore DeeJay Dallas, who moved from receiver to running back last season after Walton was lost for the season with an ankle injury, has tried — even in practice — to set the tone, working to make plays he knows will energize his teammates.
One of those came Tuesday, when Dallas noticed “the offense wasn’t clicking,” so he took it upon himself to run through one of his teammates on the defensive side of the ball.
The hit — that much stronger because Dallas has added about 12 pounds to his 5-foot-10, now 221-pound frame in an effort to withstand the rigors of playing running back — garnered praise from both Brown and Miami coach Mark Richt.
That wasn’t, though, the attention Dallas was hoping to get.
“I was just trying to get us a spark. I was trying to be that spark player,” said Dallas, who more than once last season flashed his speed and ability to make plays. “I enjoy it because, the old ‘Canes, they had player-led football teams, and that’s what we’re striving for. That’s what I feel my role is, to lead the team, be a leader, be a vocal leader on the team. So, I enjoy it.”
Dallas isn’t the only player trying to find his voice on the Hurricanes offense. Left tackle Tyree St. Louis, a senior, often deferred to McDermott and Darling in the past.
Now, as one of the veterans on the line, along with center Tyler Gauthier, St. Louis is stepping out of his comfort zone, working to provide instruction and guidance to his younger teammates.
“It’s changing my leadership skills. Mainly, I’ve always been like a quiet person. Kind of blue collar. I show up, check in and do my job to the fullest, then I leave,” St. Louis said. “But now, it’s becoming more … I’m an older guy. The younger guys are going to come to me more. The team is going to expect me to say more, especially being a senior left tackle. Now, I’m not just doing my job and doing everything right … but trying to encourage other guys, younger teammates and older teammates to play on the same level and have the same intensity.”
Those are all steps in the right direction, especially in the spring.
That doesn’t mean, though, Brown wouldn’t like to see that progress speed up a little bit more in the coming weeks.
“That’s one of our goals coming into spring ball. We’ve got to foster an environment to be a player-led football team,” he said. “We’re going to obviously set the standard as coaches and push those guys every single day, but if they’re not on the field pushing their teammates, we cannot be great. It’s not going to happen.”
Shirreffs at UNC-Charlotte
Former Hurricanes quarterback Evan Shirreffs, who transferred from the Miami program in January, announced Tuesday on Twitter he planned to finish his college career at UNC-Charlotte.
Shirreffs saw limited playing time behind starter Malik Rosier last season, completing 2-of-7 passes for 16 yards in three games.