Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Back at it: ’Canes start off with energetic first practice
CORAL GABLES — The Miami Hurricanes opened spring drills at UM’s Greentree Practice Fields on Monday morning with their newcomers all around and an energy and enthusiasm of a team eager to return to work after a 6-7 season.
As soon as the media walked in from the gate adjacent to Miami’s soccer field and track, Cobb Stadium, there were the quarterbacks. They were lined up with returning redshirt junior N’Kosi Perry first, then incoming grad transfer D’Eriq King, followed by redshirt junior Tate Martell, redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha and true freshman early enrollee Tyler Van Dyke.
They threw to wide receivers, tight ends and running backs with the Hurricanes’ new crop of skill position freshmen available in the spring among them. They first threw standing still and then lined up to toss an assortment of routes to different targets with no defense.
By the time what appears to be Miami’s very early first-team offense lined up without an offensive line, it was King with receivers Michael Harley, Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins, running back Cam’Ron Harris and tight end Will Mallory. Fellow junior tight end Brevin Jordan is not available for the spring as he recovers from his foot injury.
While new offensive line coach Garin Justice was working with his unit in the distance from where reporters could watch, new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Rhett Lashlee and receivers coach Greg Likens were up close, exhibiting how intense a practice in Lashlee’s new up-tempo, spread style can be.
“The nature of the beast is you have no choice but to be high energy off it, and so, the players, they knew it was on from our very first fast-start drill,” said Miami coach Manny Diaz.
“Fast. Speed. It was totally different, but it was awesome. It’s a good change, and we needed it,” said Miami redshirt junior center Corey Gaynor. “It all starts with me, the quarterback and the line because we’ve got to get on the ball as fast as possible. If I’m not on the ball quick, we can’t run the play fast enough.”
Lashlee was vociferous instructing quarterbacks, including one moment where he yelled after an errant throw from one of his passers, emphasizing that it’s unacceptable to overthrow receivers while no defense is covering them in practice.
Likens got on one freshman receiver for the way he ran a route: “You did better than that in high school!”
The fast-paced offense keeps defenders on their toes too.
“It’s a really high-octane, fast-moving offense, and it’s really great for our defense to go against,” said redshirt sophomore defensive end Greg Rousseau. “We got to get lined up quick, get the call.”
Weight room standouts
The Hurricanes’ starting running back job appears to be Harris’ to lose after he spelled DeeJay Dallas last season and took over as lead back once Dallas got injured.
Diaz raved about Harris’ offseason strength training and conditioning as the Miami Carol City grad is listed at 5-foot-10, 200 pounds on the UM roster.
“I don’t think anybody’s done more extra work in the weight room than Cam Harris,” said Diaz. “All of his intentions of what he’s doing with his work ethic is priming himself for a big year.”
In addition to Harris, cautioning that he
may be forgetting players he’d like to mention, Diaz named cornerbacks Al Blades Jr., DJ Ivey and Christian Williams, safety Amari Carter, linebacker Zach McCloud, defensive tackle Jon Ford, Rousseau, offensive tackle Zion Nelson and Wiggins and Harley as others who have impressed in their offseason strength and conditioning training.”
More practice observations
Freshman receiver Michael Redding III, while he wasn’t expected to participate in Miami’s first spring practice based on what coach Diaz said about his status nearly a month ago, was out there with a cast on his right wrist and a blue non-contact vest over his No. 83 jersey. Redding would run routes without having balls thrown to him and would simulate the ensuing catch and run.
Redshirt senior tight end Michael Irvin II was not seen at practice on Monday.
When a defense lined up against receivers, one highlight came from Carter, who had an impressive pass breakup running with Mallory in 7-on-7.