Miami Hurricanes name Jarren Williams QB1

Is Williams the Best Choice as Canes’ QB1?

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The dust has settled, just a bit. We all know by now that Jarren Williams has won the starting quarterback position for the Canes. He beat out the once thought to be the next big-time quarterback in N’Kosi Perry and the highly anticipated Ohio State transfer Tate Martell.

“We believe we can win with all three guys, however, we feel like Jarren has the greatest upside due to his passing ability, his instincts and his determination.” – Coach Manny Diaz on new Canes QB1, Jarren Williams.

Williams will see his first real action as a college quarterback on August 24th in Orlando against the top ten ranked Florida Gators. That’s a tall order for the redshirt freshman out of Central Gwinnett High School in Georgia.

Coming out of high school, Jarren Williams was a standout quarterback ranked as the 77th overall prospect and #5 Pro-Style Quarterback in the country. He improved every year at the high school level as a passer, culminating in a senior year that saw him throw for over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. He also ran for over 500 yards.

Under the Radar?

So why was it such a surprise to many that he got the nod? Maybe it was all the hype surrounding Tate Martell that made people forget about Williams? Maybe it was some saying that Perry has the most experience and needs to start? Was it the bad taste he left in everyone’s mouth when there were rumors swirling of him wanting to transfer? Either way, make no mistake about it, Jarren Williams, in terms of pure passing ability and skillset, is the best quarterback on this roster. He can make all the throws with precision and is very accurate on the deep ball.

Personally, I believe it was always a two-quarterback race: Williams and Martell. I think Williams ultimately won out because of his accuracy and because he took care of the football a little better than Martell. My conspiracy theory is that people closest to the program may have seen N’Kosi as part of the problem regarding last year’s team. Too many antics on and off the field may have cost him a legitimate shot at QB1. Oh, and don’t count Martell out just yet. I still expect to see him on the field in some role this year.

At the end of the day, the question still remains. Did the Miami Hurricanes make the right decision at QB1? Will we find out in 12 days? Maybe. But when the dust clears and those pads get crackin’ on August 24th, I don’t care who is behind center, just win!

Regarding the backup situation, Coach Manny Diaz said the competition is still going on to see who serves as QB2 behind Williams. Now all that’s left is for Jarren Williams to show them why they chose him as the starter.

Miami Heat open at home against Grizzlies

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When you are desperate for NBA content, you take what you can get.

So it is every August with the league’s schedule release, which just tells you that your team is playing all the teams you would expect them to play — only adding the when to the who.

So now we know some things about the Miami Heat.

They open at home against the Memphis Grizzlies.

They go to Philadelphia with Jimmy Butler on November 23. 

They host the LeBronaires — the Los Angeles Lakers — on December 15, unless Bron skips it again.

They welcome back Josh Richardson (and the 76ers) on December 28, and will likely give him a nice ovation.

Oh, and Hassan Whiteside returns with his shooters (on the Blazers) on January 5. That might not be quite the same enthusiastic reception from some.

Here’s the big thing: as of now, the Heat have only six national TV games.

The rest of the schedule is out at around 5 p.m.

 

Preston Williams header

Why did teams pass on Dolphins’ Preston Williams?

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He goes by the unicorn.

But there isn’t just a solitary reason why a player of Preston Williams’ talent was available to the Miami Dolphins after the draft.

Our Chris Kouffman (@CKParrot) called this when the Dolphins signed Preston Williams, gushing over his tape. And even as Williams flashed on the Davie field, day after day, other media types compared him to former Dolphins camp mirages at the receiver position.

He’s not.

He’s real.

Pro Football Focus gave him the highest grade (93.0) on the entire team in the preseason opener against Atlanta. And it’s clear he’s not just making the team, but could eventually emerge as a starter.

So how the heck did the Dolphins get a crack at him, without picking him in any of the seven rounds.

Kouffman’s thread today is instructive.

Click below and read it all.

Kouffman will be credentialed for Five Reasons Sports in Tampa for the Dolphins’ joint practices against the Buccaneers this week.

Jarren Williams named QB1

Jarren Williams is the Hurricanes’ QB1

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Well, that was suspenseful.

Manny Diaz, the new coach of the Miami Hurricanes, hadn’t revealed much about the quarterback competition between holdovers Jarren Williams and N’Kosi Perry, and transfer Tate Martell.

But a day before Media Day, Diaz spilled the goods.

The winner is Williams, who nearly left the program last season, a couple of times.

This wasn’t a total surprise, since the chatter has been trending that way of late. Word was that Williams has been most consistent in practices, and he has the most pure arm talent of the trio.

Reaction on Twitter was mostly positive.

Here’s some context…

Now we wait to see how he plays against Florida.

Can’t be worse than Malik Rosier, right?

Sean Newcomb

Sean Newcomb finds redemption after loss to Marlins on Saturday

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The Miami Marlins didn’t have enough leftover magic from Saturday’s thrilling comeback win to carry them over to Sunday. Sean Newcomb helped secure the Atlanta Braves’ 5-4 win with two strikeouts in the bottom of the eighth before Andrew Swarzak came in to finish the inning. It was enough to be considered redemption after giving up the winning run on Saturday’s 7-6 Marlins win.

Shortly after Martin Prado hit the walk-off sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, Newcomb furiously kicked a metal garbage can towards a fire extinguisher in the dugout tunnel, which then sent chemical dust and smoke spewing down, making its way into the visitors clubhouse at Marlins Park. The smoke also went into Marlins Mermaids locker room, which kept the dance squad from leaving on time. 

“We were all kind of laughing afterward and were like, ‘It stinks we lost, but we’ll remember this,'” said Luke Jackson, who got the save for the Braves on Sunday. “It was funny. These are the teams that win championships. You lose a game, but you build camaraderie, and I think it’s a win.”

It doesn’t take much to create a rally icon in baseball. For the Braves this weekend, a busted up fire extinguisher did the trick. Ronald Acuna and Ender Inciarte homered to carry Atlanta to victory.

“It was a good thing that happened,” Inciarte said. “We lost the game, a rough game, but everybody was thinking about the fire extinguisher. We were not thinking about what happened in the game.”

Not everyone on the Braves was present during the incident. Mike Foltynewicz, who got the win on Sunday, was in the team hotel before it happened and entered the ballpark shocked when he heard about it.

“I couldn’t believe that story,” Foltynewicz said. “I literally couldn’t believe it, I came in here and heard the stories, and it put a laugh on my face.”

Because of Newcomb’s tirade, the cleanup crew was in Marlins Park until early morning on Sunday. By the time they finished, they could’ve went straight to church. Sean Newcomb reportedly apologized to the stadium employees and even offered to pay for any damage.

The Marlins split the series with the Braves and took their only two home wins against their division rival.

“We had to fight like hell to get a split, and I’ll take that,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “This place was haunted for us these last four days.”

Jon Berti

Miami Marlins rookie Jon Berti is on fire

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Since returning from the injured list on July 31, Jon Berti is batting .400 (16 for 40) with 6 RBI and four stolen bases.

He served as the spark plug to the Miami Marlins late inning rally. They beat the Atlanta Braves 7-6 in 10 innings after a walk-off sac fly by Martin Prado. He came in for Deven Marrero at shortstop and went 2-for-2 on the night. And he got a base hit and scored on an RBI by Brian Anderson in the eighth inning. That hit drove in Prado in the ninth to spark the four-run rally.

“He’s getting a shot here, kind of showing himself,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It puts him on the radar. This guy has got a chance to be a piece for us, from the standpoint he can do a lot of things.”

The rookie shortstop is tied with Brian Anderson with five stolen bases, and is one away from the team lead held by Miguel Rojas. All with only 99 at-bats on the season. The Marlins are second-to-last in the National League so they can certainly use a dose of speed at the top of the lineup.

“He’s a full-speed acceleration guy, where he’s at full speed quickly,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “If you’re going to be basestealer, or a guy who has that kind of burst, those guys are at full speed right away. A step. Step and a half. They’re going into gear quickly.”

Berti plays both infield and outfield, but is primarily playing shortstop with Rojas on the IL this season. He is the 12th fastest player in baseball according to Statcast,

“He’s part of that equation that can put pressure on the other team, just with speed,” Mattingly said. “I think that’s important for us, knowing the kind of roster we’re trying to build. That’s the kind of guy you’re looking for.”

Despite being 29 years old, Berti is a rookie this season. If this hot streak continues through August and September, he will easily fit the mold of what the Marlins want on their team during this rebuilding project.

“We want to be athletic,” Mattingly said. “We want to put pressure on teams, we want to be able to have guys who put the ball in play. There’s a lot of things that we want from this roster, moving forward. He fits that criteria, a guy that can put pressure on the other team. He can steal a base, he can go first-to-third. He’s going to score from first on a ball in the gap. All of those things put pressure on the pitcher, from the standpoint of having to hold the runner.”

Both Jon Berti and Harold Ramirez signed with the Marlins this year as minor league free agents. Ironically, they both came from the Toronto Blue Jays organization. And needless to say, they’re both shaping up to be the biggest additions of Miami’s previous offseason.

Miami Heat(Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

O Captain! My Captain! What Haslem return means for Miami Heat

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The OG is back to protect the CULTURE for a 17th season. Jimmy Butler was the “orca” acquisition Riley had been craving, but don’t discount the importance of bringing back Mr. 305 for the Miami Heat.

We all know the narrative around Haslem at age 39, UD has seen the twitter chatter too. Yet, anybody who questions what Udonis brings to the Miami Heat locker-room is either blind or ignorant. Rarely does the last man on the roster provide such unmeasurable value and return on investment. He’s more than a player-coach. He’s the literal human embodiment of HEAT CULTURE. That mantra we all love – The Hardest Working Best Conditioned Most Professional Unselfish Toughest Meanest Nastiest Team In The NBA – that IS Udonis Haslem. His entire life-story could be the first chapter in Spoelstra’s Team Handbook, given to players at training camp. 

In 2016, HEAT fans were left bewildered and broken-hearted when Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade went through a bitter divorce. It felt like the world had been turned upside down. The infamous HEAT CULTURE was in peril. Who was there to pick up the pieces and keep it all together? The Captain. And truthfully, besides that season we all wish to forget, UD’s presence has never been more vital inside 601 Biscayne Blvd.

Playing with Udonis Haslem is a right of passage if you’re suiting up for the Miami Heat. That C on his chest wasn’t just given to him. He’s earned it! UD not only gets players to buy into the CULTURE, he enforces it. Just ask Quentin Richardson, who told a fantastic story of Haslem introducing him to HEAT CULTURE on his Knuckleheads podcast. How can we let Jimmy Butler start his Miami Heat tenure without Udonis Haslem by his side? It just wouldn’t feel right. Jimmy yearns to have guys like UD alongside him in the fight. 

Last season was all about celebrating Wade’s One Last Dance tour. This season should be all about passing on the torch to the next generation. The process has already started, especially with Bam, as Haslem noted in an Instagram post that made all of Miami misty-eyed. But his mentorship goes beyond Bam. UD has a tremendous impact on every player that dons a Miami Heat jersey, on and off the court.

Need some proof? Look no further than this exceptional write-up from local legend, Barry Jackson, where Goran Dragic gushes over UD’s importance to this team. He’s clearly Spoelstra’s most trusted advisor and confidant. When a message needs to be delivered to the team, all he has to do is look down the bench at #40. Not only does Udonis know exactly what needs to be said, but it’s the emotion, honesty and Championship experience behind those words, that resonates with players. 

And this season, with the loss of Juwan Howard, who else can Spo lean on to be his “player-liason” when things get a little rocky – because they always do. That’s not a knock on Spoelstra, but we all know his history. At one point it was Fizdale that would help smooth things over between Erik and a player. When Fizz left, that role was handled by Juwan Howard. Well, now Juwan is in Michigan.

Spoelstra needs that extra voice to help instill confidence in whatever decision he’s making. Especially in regards to players falling in and out rotations, sometimes overnight. Nobody knows that better than Udonis who rapidly went from the starting lineup to the end of the bench. That’s something to keep in mind if Spoelstra wants to insert Justise Winslow as his starting PG and have Goran Dragic run the second team. Haslem, the ultimate team first warrior, is the perfect person to help Goran transition mentally into this new role as sixth man and mentor to #PointJustise. 

Point blank, Udonis Haslem can go out anyway he wants. He’s earned that! The man that leads HEAT Nation into a frenzy anytime he hits a baseline jumper, grabs that last rebound, or tell Lance Stephenson that he’s going to f*** him up, and that’s real – a personal favorite of mine.

UD that has shed blood, sweat and tears for the city he loves and the state tattooed on his back.

That type of leadership never gets old. That’s why Miami loves him. 

That’s why #40 will hang in the rafters. 

That is why he’s the Captain.

Dolphins coach Brian Flores says will be in for a long season in 2019 with young, inexperienced Dolphins team.

Brian Flores says this is ‘a big week’ in the quarterback competition

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Coach Brian Flores continues to keep his cards close to the vest on the Dolphins quarterback competition.

After evaluating the film from the first exhibition game, here is what Flores had to say Saturday about Josh Rosen’s performance against the Falcons:

“I thought he did a good job. I thought he ran the offense well. I thought he made some good throws. I thought he could’ve made a couple better decisions. Checking the ball down is not a bad thing to do. That’s something we talked to him about – understanding what they’re doing defensively from a cover standpoint, from a run game standpoint.

“We could have put ourselves in some better situations. Both quarterbacks – really all three quarterbacks – Jake [Rudock] went in there and did a really good job in the fourth quarter, so I think all three guys are working hard, and I think they’re continuing to improve. This week’s a big week for sure.”

More from Maven: Josh Rosen merits a look as starter in next exhibition

Dealing with Bucs

The week will provide more of a measure of Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick, who still holds starter status, in two practices and Friday’s exhibition against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Dolphins will practice against the Bucs in sessions open to the public on Tuesday and Wednesday (10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) at the AdventHealth Training Center, One Buccaneer Place, Tampa.

The game, Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium, will be a reunion with former Dolphins d-lineman Ndamukong Suh — who signed with the Buccaneers this offseason to replace Gerald McCoy — as well for the Bucs and Fitzpatrick, who played the past two seasons with Tampa Bay.

Regarding how the competition between Rosen and Fitzpatrick will proceed, Flores remained evasive:

“I think we’ll continue to split reps in a way that we can evaluate both, but really all three quarterbacks. First team, second team – I think people put more value in that stuff than I do, but we’re going to try to get the reps to evaluate all three guys and really everybody on the team,” Flores said.

Flores also addressed two trouble spots that were glaringly evident in Thursday’s 34-27 win over the Falcons.

Regarding deficiencies on defense: “I think the tackling was something I talked about after the game, and it’s something that I definitely reiterated to the team that we have to do a better job defensively and in the kicking game from a tackling standpoint. We won’t have a shot – we won’t give ourselves a chance if we don’t do a better job there, so that’s something that – I know I mentioned that (was) not good. I would say it was it’s something was probably worse than I thought, so it’s something that we’re going to place some emphasis on, something we’re going to drill more, practice more and continue to try to get better there.”

Young guards exposed

As for the offensive line, which couldn’t keep the heat off the quarterbacks, he noted the struggles of rookie guards Michael Deiter and Shaq Calhoun, which were evident to anyone watching.

“Yeah, I think the two young guys inside – I think the speed of the game – we talked about it after the game is that it’s new to them,” Flores said. “As much as you can talk about it, there’s no way to simulate that. You have to feel it, you have to go through it, you have to experience it. I think both guys did, and I think both guys settled down as the game went on, so I think that was positive.

“In the second half, we had some miscues on the o-line. I think a couple of guys could’ve played better. I think as a unit, they could have played better really in both halves. I think that’s something where we need to improve really across the board – with the guys who are running with the first team, second team, third team. I think there’s a lot of room for improvement. I think the game is an opportunity for us to learn from. I think we harped on protecting inside out, doing a good job on double teams in the run game and having good communication. Hopefully, we’re better as we move forward.”

Encouraging signs

Flores said the film revealed some positives.

Notably: “Something that I felt was better – I thought our operation, just in and out of the huddle. When you watched the tape, you see Atlanta had some trouble kind of getting lined up from time to time because we were in and out of the huddle pretty quickly. I liked the operation. From that standpoint, we can catch or keep people off guard and off-balance that way. I think that gives us an advantage, so I thought that was something that was good.”

As for the most notable performance by a newcomer in the first exhibition, Flores said undrafted receiver Preston Williams took positive steps to build on, beginning on special teams.

“I think he wants to make his presence felt obviously from a receiving standpoint, but really in all phases. I think he needs to continue with that,” Flores said. “Again, one big game doesn’t make you a superstar. This league is all about consistency, so he’s got to continue to string good practices together and hopefully good games, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves on Preston. He’s got a long way to go.”

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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3 Things We Want to Know After Tonight’s Canes Scrimmage

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With just 14 days remaining before the Canes head up to Orlando to face Florida, many questions still surround this team’s roster. I break down what I feel are 3 major roster questions we want to be answered by the time tonight’s scrimmage is over with. 

Question #1: The Big Uglies

Let’s start with one of the biggest surprises in camp so far. Offensive lineman Zion Nelson was once thought of as a redshirt project with good skills that would need a few years to develop, especially at a very thin 240 pounds. Fast forward a few months and that 240-pound project is now weighing 290 pounds(reported by Nelson himself) and starting at LEFT TACKLE! Yes, you heard that right, LEFT TACKLE. I said to myself, Coach Barry(Offensive Line Coach) must be challenging his guys and we will see the real starting left tackle after the first scrimmage. But I was wrong. Nelson kept his job as LT1 and it seems as though it may stay that way. That means one of two things to me – this kid is really special – or we are incredibly screwed. 

Two other guys to keep your eye on that could possibly get some playing time if Nelson can’t hold it down: Kai-Leon Herbert and John Campbell. Herbert was getting a lot of first-team reps at right tackle along with Campbell, who ended up starting on the right side during the first scrimmage. Look for one of those two to get the nod August 24th at right tackle. 

Question #2: It’s the Muddy Badger and who?

We all know that Trajan Bandy is the leader in the Canes secondary. Bandy has the opportunity to be one of the best cornerbacks in the ACC. The question is, who will emerge as the other starting cornerback? Al Blades Jr. seems to be the front runner right now to start. He took first-team reps during last week’s scrimmage and has been atop the depth chart for some time now. However, I would not put sophomore DJ Ivey too far behind. Look for today’s scrimmage to be the one that helps solidify that spot. 

The concern what’s behind those three. Young players like Nigel Bethel, Jr., Te’Cory Couch and Christian Williams will have to step up and be ready to play when their name is called. The key to this group being successful is health.

The safeties seem to be shaping up nicely. Yesterday was the first day of practice for USC transfer Bubba Bolden. The addition solidifies what is already looking like a strong group. Right now it looks like the Canes will start with Amari Carter and Gurvan Hall. Don’t be surprised if you see Junior, Derrick Smith get a lot of playing time after moving back to safety from the striker position. I’m tempted to mention Robert Knowles…nevermind.

Question #3: Who’s My Quarterback?

Who will be the Miami Hurricanes starting quarterback? I am just going to get right into it. Offensive Coordinator Dan Enos is installing a brand new offense. None of the three have played in this system before and have all had growing pains. Some days Tate Martell does a few things better than the rest. Another day N’Kosi Perry and Jarren Williams make some really nice throws and Tate can’t hit water if he fell off a boat. All three are doing good things and not so good things. Let’s take one thing off the table right away, experience. Those making the argument that one should get the start over the other because of experience need to stop. None of them have experience! This is a new scheme, that none have played in before. And honestly, why do fans care so much about experience? Let me know how that worked out for Tua and Sunshine. I know these guys are not Tua or Lawrence, but there are plenty of young quarterbacks in college football that help their team win. 

 

3 Canes QB's vying for the starting role.

Who wins the battle at QB? (Left to Right) Jarren Williams, Tate Martell, N’Kosi Perry.

Jarren Williams is the most accurate according to many and throws with great touch. His knock was that he wasn’t very quick on his feet until Coach Manny Diaz said he was one of the guys that ran 20 mph in testing. Can he read and dissect plays quickly? 

N’Kosi Perry can spin it. He has great arm strength, can run and escape the pocket and does like to chuck it down the field. His aggressiveness has also gotten him in some trouble before. He tends to take too many risks and makes dumb throws. Has he learned the playbook? 

Tate Martell is a leader. His leadership and moxie, I think, are what make Martell stand out. He doesn’t throw the prettiest ball but can get it there. In my mind, he is the best runner of the three. His lack of accuracy at times could be a cause for concern. However, his rapport with former Bishop Gorman teammate Brevin Jordan and Buffalo transfer KJ Osborn are definitely a good thing. 

I have a feeling Coach Diaz already knows who his guy is at quarterback. If he doesn’t, he will know tonight. The question is, will he tell the rest of us? 

 

My picks: 

Tackle   

LT- Zion Nelson

RT- John Campbell

Cornerback

Al blades, Jr. or DJ Ivey (They will split reps)

2 Deep Safety

FS- Gurvan Hall, Bubba Bolden

SS- Amari Carter or Derrick Smith (Let’s see how tonight plays out)

Quarterback

1- Tate Martell or Jarren Williams or N’Kosi Perry 

Chandler Cox

Chandler Cox giving Miami Dolphins much-needed physicality

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Think back to the last time the Miami Dolphins had a fullback. More than likely, the name Lousaka Polite springs to mind. Polite was the bruiser, they guy that was given the ball when it was third and short and Miami needed a first down. Unremarkable, but reliable, and steadfast. Since then, the Dolphins have made halfhearted attempts to find a replacement, but not until now, with Chandler Cox, have they add any success.

The last real fullback Miami had on the roster was Jorvorskie Lane. Serviceable, but he never lived up to Polite’s standards. Then the Dolphins tried to get Charles Clay to be an H-back type hybrid, playing both tight end and fulback. It soon became clear that Clay was more effective as a pass-catching tight end. There was also the reported pursuit of veteran fullback Vonta Leach, one of the best at his dying position, back in 2013. Ultimately, nothing came out of that, and since then the position has been in limbo.

Both Joe Philbin and Adam Gase decided to forgo the fullback position for the most part, putting strong emphasis on the passing game. Ryan Tannehill was tasked with making the offense run almost solely on his arm, with little to no investment placed in the running game. Only in 2016, with now free agent RB Jay Ajayi, did anyone get to see what the offense could look like when they started playing smashmouth football. Ajayi became an instant star, and the Dolphins made the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

But it wouldn’t last. Ajayi’s body gave out just as his ego kicked in, and Gase sent Ajayi to the Eagles where he won the Super Bowl in 2017. He didn’t contribute much to that victory, but it was a victory all the same. And once again, Miami’s rushing attack fell by the wayside.

Enter Brian Flores, who comes from New England. The Patriots know how important a strong running game is, and Flores made it clear Miami would remember that lesson. They would have a fullback, no questions asked.

“I think it adds a competitiveness, a grit, a toughness, to the team.” He said back in late May. “We want to run the football. I think having a lead blocker clear the way helps that, I value that position. I think it brings a toughness, a grit that I think I like in my team … Quite honestly, I played linebacker and I’ve had to deal with fullbacks. It’s not always the easiest thing to do. Wherever the league goes is where it goes; but personally, having dealt with a lead blocker, it’s not an easy thing to deal with.”

That much is true. With a fullback leading the way, defenders have to get through an extra player to bring down the running back. In that moment it might take to knock down the fullback, the running back could score a touchdown. That is precisely what happened on Thursday night against the Falcons. Mark Walton was handed the football, and Cox blocked two different defenders, leading to a score that gave Miami the lead.

Chandler Cox already has the respect of his teammates. With fullbacks being a dying breed, the fact he goes out there and does everything he can do to contribute makes him a rarity.

“He’s an Auburn guy, but you know, I won’t hold that against him.” Drake joked on Thursday. “He goes in there, he’s still out there doing his job, so I know he’s going to be tired up in this game, but he’s a rookie so he’s got to get his dues in, so I look forward to him doing a lot more for this season.”

Having a fullback is a luxury it seems, one that most teams decide not to have. With the NFL putting more and more focus on protecting quarterbacks, it’s clear that the league wants teams to throw more. But the effectiveness of a fullback can’t be denied. And some believe the position may yet see a comeback as Miami adjusts to having one.

“I think it will be, but it takes time to do that when you haven’t done that.” running back coach Eric Studesville said in late July. “It’s different to have another guy closer to you and he has to make decisions. There is a trust that builds in that. Chandler (Cox) has done a great job of coming in here. It started yesterday in pads right away. He’s physical with his pad level. We’ll all get better at that and we’ll get better feeling him and what’s going on. I think it adds another dimension to our offense and capabilities and what defenses have to prepare for.”

Chandler Cox adds an extra blocker, and he has the ability to run if necessary. He can catch, he can lead, he can back up the offensive line in the backfield, he’s the full package. And, he’s already adjusting well. Becoming a physical team after spending so long focused on finesse will take time. But Cox will do a lot to speed up the process.