Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Jennings seeing first-team reps at middle linebacker
It may be easy for Miami Hurricanes fans to forget about a linebacker like Bradley Jennings Jr., a veteran who missed the 2019 season with a groin injury, when there are high expectations for young standouts like Sam Brooks and Avery Huff at the position.
But Jennings, a redshirt junior, has been working with the first team at middle linebacker in fall camp, including Sunday night’s scrimmage. With redshirt senior Zach McCloud likely to start at one linebacker spot, which was middle linebacker early in fall camp, McCloud shifts to weakside linebacker when working with Jennings.
“I think one of the most pleasing things of this camp has been the return of Bradley Jennings,” said UM coach Manny Diaz on 560-AM on Monday. “He was a guy that really was having a good spring and factored to be in the rotation, even with Shaq [Quarterman] and [Michael] Pinckney last year, and then had a very difficult injury, very difficult rehab and recovery from that. Now, you just about can’t tell.”
Diaz likes the experience of the McCloud-Jennings linebacker combination, as he’s had McCloud for five years and Jennings four, going back to Diaz’s defensive coordinator days.
Jennings, from the Jacksonville area like Quarterman and Pinckney before him, is listed at 6 foot 1, 225 pounds — 10 pounds lighter than McCloud — but McCloud said he doesn’t play that small.
“He’s powerful. He’s a strong guy,” McCloud said. “That power shows on the field when he gets the chance to make contact with somebody, but it’s not reckless. He knows when and where to do it.”
Jennings’ approach during rehab played a big part in preparing him for this opportunity. “He was really diligent about staying on top of his recovery due to injuries and whatnot,” McCloud said. “He’s a guy that people could depend on to be where he needs to be. He was a model for other teammates who needed to see somebody else doing it the right way.”
Fellow redshirt junior linebacker Waynmon Steed, who was out with a knee injury last season, was also touted by Diaz for his tackling and play against the run in the scrimmage.
Defensive coordinator Blake Baker said of Jennings and Steed before the scrimmage: “They have exceeded any expectations that I had. They’ve both looked great. I didn’t know how they would respond coming off serious injuries and being out for over a year, but those two guys are playing their tails off.
“They know how quickly the game can be taken away from them. Injury issues can tend to do that to guys. … I think they’re going to surprise some people.”
Between the sophomore Brooks and redshirt freshman Huff, Diaz called them “talented guys behind [the veterans].” Brooks had 12 tackles when he stepped into last year’s Independence Bowl, and Huff is “learning and we think has a big upside,” according to Diaz.
He also says freshmen Corey Flagg and Tirek Austin-Cave had big hits in the scrimmage. He lauded Flagg’s instincts.
The health factor
The Hurricanes didn’t have any injuries during Sunday’s scrimmage, but Manny Diaz said a “handful” of players were held out Sunday night.
Junior tight end Brevin Jordan was one of them with what Diaz called a “minor” issue, adding Jordan practiced on Tuesday.
Diaz said the defensive line was largely affected in the scrimmage with defensive end Quincy Roche and defensive tackles Nesta Silvera, Jonathan Ford and Jalar Holley all either held out or limited due to “training camp bumps and bruises.” Senior safety Amari Carter also missed the scrimmage.
Diaz, who announced on Tuesday that freshman safety Avantae Williams will miss the season, said all the scrimmage holdouts are expected back when the Hurricanes have a second scrimmage on Saturday.
Campbell, Williams impress at tackle
While he is not prepared to solidify starting jobs this early into camp, Diaz said that redshirt senior Jarrid Williams and redshirt sophomore John Campbell “had good days” on Sunday at opposite tackles — right for Williams and left for Campbell.
“We’re still not ready to say these are the five and there’s no more intrigue to the starting lineup, for any position really — most positions,” Diaz said.
First-team secondary
While the offense appeared to win the scrimmage over the defense and D’Eriq King threw four touchdown passes, Diaz said the first-team secondary was still a highlight on Sunday.
“Gurvan Hall might have had his best scrimmage as a Miami Hurricane. He was everywhere,” said Diaz of the junior safety that led UM in tackles on Sunday.
Diaz also said he liked how junior cornerbacks Al Blades Jr. and DJ Ivey played, along with redshirt junior safety Bubba Bolden. Hall and Bolden made up the starting safety combination with Amari Carter out. He touted how sophomore cornerbacks Christian Williams and Te’Cory Couch are playing in camp, but said they need to find the consistency of first-teamers Blades and Ivey.