Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Young corners growing up fast
Biggest challenges of season are still ahead
CORAL GABLES — During camp, when his young players were competing for jobs and trying to find their way, Miami Hurricanes cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph started each day the same way.
He’d walk to the board at the front of his position group’s meeting room and draw a question mark. Day after day, the question mark appeared.
Like anyone paying attention to the Hurricanes program, Rumph knew that on a stalwart defense expected to be one of the best in the Atlantic Coast Conference, there were still questions for Miami’s defense to answer. And nearly all of them involved the secondary and his cornerbacks.
Veterans Corn Elder and Adrian Colbert were gone. Sheldrick Redwine had been moved to safety because, there too, the Hurricanes needed help. And so, new players in new roles would have to step up, quickly, for Miami.
Corners Malek Young and Michael Jackson had shown potential, but were largely untested. And three newcomers — Citadel transfer Dee Delaney, junior college transfer Jhavonte Dean and freshman Trajan Bandy — didn’t know Miami’s system or the rigors of major college football.
Turns out that six games into the season, that largely untested group has developed into a consistent playmaking unit, even while dealing with the loss of Delaney, who has been sidelined for two weeks with an apparent knee injury.
“It’s been a process,” said Rumph, a corner on Miami’s 2001 national championship team. “We have to take everything one step at a time. Me being a former cornerback, I understand the process and have the patience for it. All I need are kids that listen and they’ve been doing a great job at that. … The best thing I can say about the corners is that they play together and they play for each other, and I think that’s the most important ingredient for a championship type of team.”
With the Hurricanes preparing to face North Carolina on Saturday at Chapel Hill, Miami’s corners have helped hold opposing offenses to 188.7 yards per game, a number that ranks among the top 30 in college football. The group has collected five interceptions, with Jackson hauling in a teamhigh three picks this season.
Two of those came against Syracuse last week in a game win in which Miami forced Orange quarterback Eric Dungey into four first-half interceptions. He’d entered the game throwing four total in six previous games.
“In order to play defense, or any position in general, you have to have a chip on your shoulder,” Jackson said. “We didn’t really pay much attention to [people questioning us], we just said we would come out here and play ball. We’ve shown that we can play man coverage or any other type of defense you put us in.”
Added Young, “We have one of the best defensive lines. The ball is going to come out quick and fast, and if we can guard our man for a certain amount of time, we’re going to be at a great standpoint. Just with our D-line and our front seven, it’s awesome. … We’re put in a great position.”
While they’ve delivered through the first part of the season, Miami’s corners know their toughest tests loom in the coming weeks. The Tar Heels, despite their 1-7 record, average just over 200 passing yards a game and are a key Coastal Division opponent.
Beyond that are games against more division foes, including Virginia Tech, Virginia and Pittsburgh. Notre Dame, though not a conference game, is a challenge of its own, especially if the Hurricanes want to put their name in the mix for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The group knows it needs to continue its development. But the corners know what they’ve done is a good first step. Now it’s time to continue moving forward.
“We’ve had some great challenges in the last couple weeks and Mike Rumph in the corner room has done a great job,” Hurricanes defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. “The play of Michael Jackson and Malek Young and guys like Trajan Bandy hopping in there and taking their slot receiver away from them. That really stands out. I think in all levels guys are understanding what to do more. I think they’re becoming more confident in what their techniques are out there. Now the key as a coach is you just say, ‘OK, now you’ve got that. Let’s get this.’ Let’s find the next way that we can all improve ourselves.”