Richt positive about depth in first scrimmage
Coach touts work by wide receivers, TDs by Rosier, strong defense.
The Hurricanes
MIAMI GARDENS — closed their first week of fall camp with a closed scrimmage Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
No media or fans were allowed and no stats were given when it was over. Explained coach Mark
Richt: “In the fall, I really don’t want to give anybody a clue to who’s doing what.”
But Richt, who said the night
ended without a major injury, noted that it was “probably the longest scrimmage I’ve ever been involved in and it’s mainly because we have enough people now to allow our No. 3 units to get just as many reps as everybody else.” Each unit averaged about 45 plays, according to Richt.
He also pointed out several high- lights: Wide receivers Lawrence Cager “had a couple TD catches” and Ahmmon Richards “had 4, 5 catches.” Linebacker Shaq Quarterman “played big” and “had probably about six tackles.”
Quarterback Ma l ik Ro s ier “threw a couple touchdowns”
and no interceptions. Safety Sheldrick Redwine had an interception.
Here is what else Richt had to say after the closed scrimmage:
■ “As a whole, the defense — No. 1 unit dominated against the No. 2 (offense). But No. 1 (offense) — if you had to say who won between 1 (offense) and 2 (defense) — I’d say the No. 1 (offense) got the best of them. It was a closer battle than our one defense versus two offense.”
■ Behind Rosier, Richt said the other quarterbacks “are getting there. I think N’Kosi (Perry) is coming along well. Jarren (Williams), he just still kind of sometimes
gets his head on a swivel and finds somebody and zings it to them. He doesn’t always know exactly where he’s going and why, but he’s got ability. (Cade) Weldon’s really had a great camp.”
■ There were no big run plays, other than “a couple quarterback scrambles that broke out when they were in pass coverage.”
■ Richt said he feels good about the combination the Hurricanes have as the starting offensive line — Tyree St. Louis at left tackle, Jahair Jones at left guard, Tyler Gauthier at center, Hayden Mahoney at right guard and Navaughn Donaldson at right tackle. “Navaughn’s doing much better. I feel good about him at right tackle right now,” Richt said. “I feel good about the one unit. Hayden Mahoney has had a really good camp. We’re thinking Venzell (Boulware) would really challenge him and I think he still can challenge him, but as you would imagine, he’s still learning what to do. Venzell is still learning. When he really learns it and can play full speed, he can probably compete a little bit harder. Right this second, I would say (D J) Scaife is probably the sixth guy at a few positions probably.”
■ The Hurricanes need true freshman kicker Bubba Baxa to grow up fast. He’s expected to begin the season as the starter after the departure of Michael Badgley. While Baxa had a solid week of practice, he struggled under the bright lights of Hard Rock Stadium. “I think Bubba’s eyes got big, too, learning how to kick in a half a billion-dollar stadium,” Richt said. “I think it might have got to him a little bit. He struggled today, to be honest with you. In the other practices, though, he’s done very well. He kicked like a 57-yarder that had enough juice, but just missed. He’s got a big strong leg and he’s just got to get his reps in and get over the fact that he’s a No. 1 kicker at the University of Miami. He’s got to realize there’s a lot of people counting on him.”
■ Linebacker Michael Pinckney participated after being held out of Thursday’s practice with an ankle injury.
■ After the first week of fall camp, Richt believes the team is “in a good place” and he expects some of the freshmen to make a “big jump” in the second week. “Number 1, we’re not going to install a lot more. We were installing something new every day, every day, something new, something new. And after a while, it gets cloudy for them. Now next week, we’ll install very little. Now they can start trying to perfect it. So where they can go from week one to week two can be a big jump.”
■ Asked about freshmen tight ends Brevin Jordan and Will Mallory, who will be expected to step up in the absence of injured starter Michael Irvin II, Richt said they have looked great overall for “brand-new guys . ... I mean they are making mistakes, they can’t get lined up right sometimes, they need a little help. They have the toughest position to learn besides offensive line play and quarterback play. Especially where Brevin is, he’s what we call the adjuster. He’s got to know by the play where he lines up sometimes. He’s got so much to process.”
■ Jordan will have to learn fast because he’s expected to be the starting tight end when Miami opens the season Sept. 2 against LSU. Irvin will miss the next four months after undergoing surgery to repair an MCL injury in his right knee Wednesday.