Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
O-line coach Justice juggling combos in camp
Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, ahead of fall camp, alluded to a plan new UM offensive line coach Garin Justice had early on to mix and match blockers and get a sense of a best combination.
After Saturday night’s second practice of Miami training camp, Justice laid out those early decisions as he is tasked with improving a line that gave up 51 sacks a year ago.
Consistent for a majority of the first-team reps over the first two practices: John Campbell at left tackle, Corey Gaynor at center and DJ Scaife at right guard.
The other two spots: He went with Kai-Leon Herbert at right tackle for Friday’s first practice and Jarrid Williams on Saturday. At left guard, it was Ousman Traore on Friday and Zion Nelson on Saturday.
“Those were planned,” Justice said on a Saturday night web conference with reporters. “It’s not like we’re leaning any way or the other.”
Nelson was the Hurricanes’ starting left tackle all 2019 as a freshman. He has added weight to get from 285 pounds at the start of last season to now weighing in at 312 to get Justice comfortable with trying him at guard.
“With his weight gain and the way he’s progressed there, he’s a little more versatile,” Justice said. “Whereas, last year, he was a little bit lighter. It was hard for him to do anything other than the edge.”
Justice still called Nelson “viable” at left tackle, but with senior guard Navaughn Donaldson redshirting this season while recovering from a knee injury, the Hurricanes will seek extra help inside.
“He’s getting adjusted to guard,” said the veteran Gaynor. “He’s right next to me, so if he has any questions, he’s right next to me and I can help him on the fly.”
Providing Justice with options is Scaife’s versatility.
“He could probably play all five,” Justice said. “That goes to show what type of player and talent he is. If I told him tomorrow that he’s playing center, he could do it. He’d be fine. If I told him, ‘You have to play left tackle,’ he’d be fine. That’s the type of guy you want to recruit because now it’s easy to get the best five guys on the field.”
Justice noted Scaife (6-3, 314) may be slightly more suited for guard and that he feels he has more depth at tackle as reasoning behind playing him inside. Lashlee agrees.
“We have some long, athletic options at tackle, when you look at John Campbell, Zion Nelson, Jarrid Williams and Kai-Leon Herbert. Zalon’tae Hillery can play both outside and inside,” Lashlee said. “I think it’s really all about us finding out who’s comfortable on the right and left side. I think the left tackle thing is a little bit overrated. I mean, yeah, it is our quarterback’s blind side, but both tackles are pretty important.”
The addition of Williams as a grad transfer from Houston is instrumental in that experience and depth at tackle.
“What stands out is just his size. He’s got tremendous length. He’s hard to miss,” said UM coach Manny Diaz of the 6-foot-6, 308-pound Williams. “You’ve got to take an extra step just to get around him because he’s got such great reach.”
Said Gaynor: “When he gets his hands on people, he moves them.”
Jakai Clark had 12 starts at right guard as a freshman last season while Scaife was outside at tackle on the right side. Clark has been working as the second-team center behind Gaynor, but Justice said Sunday night’s practice will be his crack at left guard with the first team.
“We’ve got to have someone that’s steady and reliable behind Corey in case something were to happen,” Justice said. “If Jakai’s not the starting left guard, he will definitely be the guy that comes in for Gaynor in case something happens to him.
“If you did a combine test with all our guys, Jakai is going to be in the bottom half of all those things, but as far as football player feel, awareness, understanding football, he’s one of the better guys we have.”
Justice has been working standout recruit Jalen Rivers at guard early on. He also says Issiah Walker, the standout freshman transfer from Florida, likely projects as a left tackle in the future.