Huff another young emerging linebacker
Flagg continues to shine during spring
As the Miami Hurricanes are looking to develop their linebackers this spring so the unit can ultimately put together a better 2021 season than it did last fall, more names are starting to emerge as UM is past the halfway point of its slate of 15 spring practices.
Avery Huff is standing out more and more after coach Manny Diaz mentioned him as a defensive standout in Saturday’s scrimmage and inside linebackers coach Jonathan Patke noted his progress again after Tuesday’s practice. Huff, going into his third season out of St. Thomas Aquinas, took an academic redshirt his first season in 2019 and mostly saw special teams action in nine games played last season.
“You got Avery Huff coming along at Will [weakside] linebacker, that I think he’s made great strides this spring,” said Patke, who is transitioning from coaching strikers last year while retaining his role as special teams coordinator. “He’s one of the guys that stands out in my mind that has really picked it up mentally, understanding what we’re trying to accomplish and just getting aligned right, understanding what his job is. Because, as we know, he’s a great athlete, so mentally, he’s got to catch up, and I thought he has done a good job up to now doing that.”
Diaz, in comments released by UM on Saturday afternoon following the closed scrimmage, named Huff and second-year linebacker Corey Flagg as defenders that
impressed him.
“Corey Flagg has continued to make strides,” Diaz said, “and the guy that is slowly getting better and better is Avery Huff. He made a nice play on a screen and is just seeing the game better and better.”
Flagg is making a push at middle linebacker, where Bradley Jennings Jr. started last year. Not counting striker Gilbert Frierson among linebackers, Jennings led the linebacking corps in tackles last season. The only problem was his 39 tackles were only good for seventh on the team with three safeties, two defensive ends and Frierson producing more.
“[Flagg] and BJ, I think the competition between them two really makes the best out of both of them,” Patke said, adding of Flagg, “he’s a great, savvy football player, very instinctive.
“Instincts [are] driven by his preparation, so he’s constantly preparing in the film room, constantly preparing ahead of time with what defenses are going in. The guy, he’s just a [foot]ball junkie.”
Patke was also impressed with how Flagg improved his body, shedding fat after he got a little heavy in his first college season. Earlier in the spring, Flagg said he went from weighing between 240 to 244 pounds at a body-fat percentage in the lower 20s before getting down to 232 pounds and 13 percent body fat.
“Between this year and last year, I really believe Corey Flagg stepped up,” said safety Gurvan Hall. “He’s communicating. He’s making plays on the field. He’s acting like he’s an older guy now.”
Sam Brooks, who had 37 tackles last season, largely in a rotational non-starting role, is getting treatment and working back from a toe injury last season.
“We know Sam can play,” Patke said. “He played at a high level at the end of his freshman year, banged up last year. So, we got to get him healthy and get him running full speed again, but we know Sam’s a great player and he will be in the mix.”
Veteran Waynmon Steed has pleased Patke with his knowledge of the defense at weakside linebacker, similar to Jennings in the middle as both head into their fifth college seasons.
Second-year linebacker Tirek AustinCave, working at Mike, has flashed athleticism, according to Patke.
Freshman Deshawn Troutman is on campus as an early enrollee for the spring and has impressed early on at Will linebacker.
“One thing I saw from him in the scrimmage is he was physical, he tackles,” Patke said. “He’s not scared. He made a lot of plays. He was really productive when he was in there. It was really good to see. I don’t think the spotlight is too big when he’s in there. He just runs and plays.”
Former linebacker Zach McCloud made a move to defensive end before the bowl game last season and has previously been labeled as a surprise in spring drills by defensive line coach Jess Simpson.