Tag Archive for: Miami Hurricanes

Canes Concern: What’s Wrong With Jeff Thomas?

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Josh Darrow brought up a great point in the latest 5 Rings: A Canes Thing podcast when mentioning Jeff Thomas.Everyone always talks about how much talent Thomas has, but having talent and being talented is different. Having the potential and being a difference-maker or game-changer are different things and I think that’s where we are with Thomas right now.

Big Time Players Make Big Time Plays

He was once thought of as the next Santana Moss type player. While he did show flashes last year, making NFL-type catches, it was tough with a mediocre quarterback throwing you the ball. Then came the quitting. It was only days after a big win against Virginia Tech, in which Thomas ran a punt back for a touchdown, that we learned he would be leaving the program. At that time it was considered a huge blow for the Canes program. How were we going to replace a player like that? He was a game-changer. Rumors and hearsay suggest his relationship with former coaches had soured a bit and it ultimately led to him leaving the program. 

It’s Just a Slow Start…

Now, it seems like he has taken a step back and has not regained that moniker. He doesn’t look like the same guy. At this point in his career, we should be talking about the plays he is making, not the plays he was making. He hasn’t looked terrible (well except for the muffed punt against Florida), but he hasn’t looked great. Am I being too hard on the kid? Can we maybe just chalk it up to a slow start? Sure, but is that the “standard” these coaches are holding the players to?

The Guy

If Jeff Thomas wants to be “the guy”, he needs to make catches like the one in the endzone against the Gators. As tough a catch as it may have been(and it was a great throw by Williams), those are the catches he needs to make. 

What is clear to me, is that Thomas moves to the beat of his own drum. Is it possible that he lacks focus and discipline? Possibly – and maybe he isn’t who we thought he was. Teams do not fear him like they used to. That needs to change.  If Jeff Thomas is not at his best then the Canes aren’t either.

 

Follow me on Twitter at @jazzsantana for all your Canes news and more.

For all your Canes insider news and exclusive content, check out the @5Rings_Canes podcast.

Go Canes!

Hurricanes Unable to Overcome Slow Start vs UNC

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Battle of freshman quarterbacks one for the ages as the Hurricanes fall short on the road to North Carolina 28-25.

Manny Diaz and the Miami Hurricanes had a lot of time to think leading up to the game in Chapel Hill.

After a competitive loss to Florida in week zero, the Canes should have come out with a chip.

Instead the rust showed as Sam Howell led two quick scoring drives to put North Carolina up by 10 less than four minutes in. They would hold the lead most of the night as a late rally by the Hurricanes came up short.

No Doubt who is QB1

Dan Enos put the ball in Jarren Williams hands on the first drive with three straight pass calls.

Despite the aggressive play calling Miami went three-and-out.

Williams settled down midway through the first quarter and led the offense on a solid drive which ended with three points after Bubba Baxa put Miami on the board with a career long from 50 yards.

 

 

The Hurricanes run defense struggled in the first quarter and Howell took advantage of it, picking up a first down with his feet.

To make matter worse Amari Carter got flagged for a late hit and targeting after a shot to Howell went high during his slide.

Carter was disqualified and an already depleted secondary was even thinner for almost the entire game.

Miami seemed on their heels with the uptempo pace of the Carolina offense early.

Combine that with variety in play-calling and a confident team in blue, Miami had all they could handle on the road.

North Carolina would finish another scoring drive with a touchdown and led 17-3 with 4:04 left in the first quarter.

Miami looked uninspired and confused on defense to say the least, the group seemed unprepared for the moment.

The Tar Heels defense was equally as formidable, gang tackling and repeatedly taking advantage of the offensive line.

Finally late in the first quarter the defense found some energy, forcing a three-and-out.

Miami managed ZERO yards rushing and 47 total yards in the first quarter, while Carolina racked up 171 total yards.

Second Quarter Brings Second Wind

The second quarter change seemed to give the Hurricanes a chance to get composed again.

Williams was sharp and decisive to open that frame, and DeeJay Dallas ran with his usual aggression.

Enos took the training wheels off a little with pre-snap motion and jet sweeps, and the offense found some rhythm.

 

Until disaster nearly happened.

Williams put the ball on the ground and after several players had a shot, the freshman quarterback fell on his mistake and recovered the ball.

However the drive would stall and Bubba Baxa would attempt another short field goal for important points.

 

He missed obviously, keeping the score at 17-3.

Blake Baker dialed up the pressure in the second with corner blitzes and the defense settled in.

His colleague Enos started to figure some things out as well, giving help to the offensive line with backs chipping and quick passes.

Brevin Jordan looks like the truth and was a reliable target for Williams.

Cam Harris spelled Dallas late in the first half and picked up right where he left off.

Harris was a force in that crucial drive for the Hurricanes to say the least.

 

Once again the Hurricanes offense could not cash in, they went uptempo which actually seemed to take them out of sync.

Baxa redeemed himself somewhat with a chip shot (for most) to make it 17-6 with just under three minutes left in the first half.

The Hurricanes defense continued to make stops and slowly take over field position as the opening half wound down.

Williams would get the ball back with 98 seconds to go and two timeouts to work with.

Dallas gashed the Carolina defense for 16 to start the drive, followed by a quick 14-yard reception by Jordan.

Another miscue on a botched snap nearly spelled disaster for Miami, luckily Dallas fell on it to save the possession.

Finally the good fortune continued as the Hurricanes found pay-dirt on a beautiful strike from Williams to KJ Osborn on a slant.

 

Miami had to feel good going into the locker room down just four after a tenuous start.

Dallas had eight carries for 55 yards while Harris five for 41 yards in the first half.

Miami finished with 94 yards on the ground as a team. The offensive line as a whole looked much better compared to the Florida game, but Williams was still under pressure quite often.

A big difference was his decision making in terms of holding on to the ball. When things went sideways, he got it out.

Halftime score 17-13 North Carolina

Miami received the second half kickoff and went right to work. Dallas continued to get touches and Williams connected with Jordan to put Miami in business around the North Carolina 30 yard line.

That opening drive stalled after the Hurricanes failed on a fourth and three. Diaz likely lacked confidence in Baxa in what would have been about a 36-yard field goal attempt.

The anticipation for the Miami defense to make a game changing play was palpable.

North Carolina converted a huge third and twelve to get out of the shadow of their goalpost.

Dazz Newsome followed that with a 36-yard catch over the top, the second egregious error on pass defense to that point.

Senior linebacker Michael Pinckney got dinged up on the play but would return shortly after.

North Carolina entered Miami territory for the first time since the opening quarter and broke out a trick play of their own.

Howell hauled in an 18-yard reception on a flee-flicker, and they would cash in with a field goal to make it 20-13 midway through the third quarter.

On their next possession Miami put together their best drive to that point, marching 75 yards on seven plays and finally cashing in from close.

 

Unfortunately that blocked XP was a huge lapse by the offensive line as North Carolina shot into the backfield in an instant.

Can’t blame Baxa for that one, however four special teams points left on the field in a close game hurts.

A pivotal play came in the waning seconds of the third quarter with North Carolina facing a 4th-and-3 from the Miami 44.

Initially it looked like they would go for it, however Mack Brown burned a timeout and North Carolina punted.

Not taking a delay of game and instead taking a timeout seemed like a questionable move which could benefit Miami.

Williams continued to slice up the North Carolina secondary and ended the penultimate quarter with a bang.

 

Osborn has immediately become a key part of the wide receiver group and a favorite target for Williams.

Pass protection started to become an issue in the fourth quarter as Williams was dropped twice to stall another drive.

Special teams stepped up to pin the Tar Heels back but Howell quickly got them out of trouble.

The moment did not seem too big for Howell who looked solid under fire for most of the night.

However the Miami defense hung tough under less than ideal circumstances as multiple players went off the field due to cramping or other not overtly serious injuries.

They gave the ball back to the offense midway through the fourth and Williams kept dealing. He hit nine completions in a row and should have had 10 if not for a drop by Brian Hightower.

Jeff Thomas helped the young quarterback with a tough first down grab over the middle, not something he is always known for.

Dallas kept punishing the North Carolina defense and a perfectly executed run put them in business.

 

Williams would make it count, dropping a dime to Will Mallory to put Miami on top for the first time 25-20 with just under five minutes to go.

Holding a lead on the road late is a critical test for a defense and the North Carolina ground game was working.

Tempers got a little heated as Miami started to gain confidence when Shaq Quarterman picked up a huge sack to force a third and long.

That was followed quickly by another sack courtesy of Gregory Rousseau, forcing a timeout on 4th and 17.

Once again Howell made a play, picking up 20 for the first down and the crowd was back in it.

Howell drew Miami offsides all night with the “Kyler Murray pre-snap clap” and should have had a touchdown that was dropped on a free play.

He didn’t have to wait long as Newsome made a beautiful grab on the boundary to put North Carolina on top 26-25.

They would convert the two-point conversion and regain a 28-25 advantage with 1:01 to play.

Time for Williams

With all three timeouts this was the moment for Williams to show why Diaz chose him as QB1.

An 28-yard run followed by two completions put the Hurricanes in North Carolina territory quickly.

Williams threw incomplete over the middle and Miami was on their last breath, looking to avoid their first 0-2 start since 1978.

That did not happen.

Baxa shanked what would have been a game tying 49-yard field goal and Miami took another heartbreaking loss in another winnable game.

 

The Hurricanes gained 179 yards on the ground and 488 total yards compared to just 97 rushing and 389 for North Carolina.

Yet still lost and played from behind most of the way in a massive early test for Manny Diaz and his coaching staff.

The New Miami?

More like The Same Miami.

It’s a very distraught locker room. You’ve got to learn to finish. We’ve got to learn a little bit of a killer instinct.”

– Manny Diaz on WQAM, via @flasportsbuzz.

Key Stats – Miami

Passing:

Williams: 30/39, 309 yards, 2 TD

Rushing:

Dallas: 14 carries, 107 yards, 37 yard long

Cam Harris: 10 carries, 60 yards, TD

Receiving:

KJ Osborn: 7 receptions, 76 yards, TD

Mike Harley: 5 receptions, 79 yards

Brevin Jordan: 6 receptions, 73 yards

Jeff Thomas: 7 receptions, 51 yards

Will Mallory: 1 reception, 11 yards, TD

Key Stats – UNC

Passing:

Howell: 16/24, 274 yards, 2 TD

Rushing:

Javonte Williams: 10 carries, 76 yards, TD

Receiving:

Dyami Brown: 4 receptions, 80 yards, TD

Dazz Newsome: 2 receptions, 46 yards, TD

Rontavius Groves: 3 receptions, 41 yards

 

 

Canes QB Jarren Williams

Coach Diaz and Jarren Williams Discuss Improvements

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Coach Manny Diaz and Jarren Williams have a lot to prove.

First-year quarterback Jarren Williams showed us all a few Saturday’s ago why he was chosen to lead this Miami Hurricanes team as its starting quarterback. While it did not ultimately lead to the outcome we wanted(Miami lost to #8 Florida 24-20), most Canes fans believe he is the right choice.

Coach Enos did not mince words when describing Williams and his play against Florida, saying “He did not play well enough for us to win the game.” We understand that those words were more “tough love” than anything else, and Jarren embraced it, but it wasn’t all entirely untrue. Williams had a few opportunities early in that game to break it open and could not find the open man. Although the offensive line did not play well at all, there were times where he either held on to the football too long or put his head down and took a sack.

Today, Cane Maven was at practice and listened in on what Coach Diaz and Jarren Williams had to say on what the redshirt freshman quarterback has worked on improving since his first game and if his progression has changed as a result of the Florida game:

Coach Manny Diaz says, “if we would’ve thrown a touchdown pass on the last drive and won 27-24, we would not have come in here and done anything differently.” Williams later said, regarding what had changed, “my pocket presence, you know, not watching the rush” and “every play you have to keep your eyes down the field and if you have to run, you could run”.

Follow me on twitter @jazzsantana for all the latest Miami Hurricanes news.

 Check out the @5Rings_Canes podcast for your Canes insider news and analysis.

 Go Canes!

Jarren Williams Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: The Good, Bad, and Ugly vs Gators

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An early chance to prove they are “back” escapes the Hurricanes.

The Miami Hurricanes kicked off the 2019 season like their nickname implies, with ferocity and chaos.

With an in-state game against the hated Gators, an animal that lurks in the swamp beneath the surface.

Two teams engaged in high drama without aesthetic pleasantry or grace.

On the national stage, just like it should be.

Miami wasn’t expected to win by most or make a game of it by many.

But that is exactly what they did.

We can explore the coulda-woulda-shoulda all day, Canes fans have seen these game slip away too many times.

The Hurricanes had their chances but the game unraveled by their own hand.

There was some good.

Quite a bit of bad.

And holy shit was there a lot of ugly.

The Good

Jarren Williams took control of the starting quarterback position in fall camp and the decision looks like a home run.

The redshirt freshman looked ready and poised under the bright lights and under heavy fire.

He took 10 sacks behind an offensive line that was exploited against a barrage from the Gator front seven.

Time and time again he got up off the canvas, and had the team in position to win.

Williams avoided the big mistake, although he did put the ball on the ground late under duress.

He finished 19 for 30 for 214 yards with one touchdown and looked more calm and collected as the game progressed.

DeeJay Dallas had a solid game (12 carries, 95 yards, one touchdown) and his physical running style brutalized the Florida defense.

Overall however the rushing game struggled, only gaining 87 yards on a measly 2.7 YPC after sack yards on Williams factored in.

Brevin Jordan (five receptions, 88 yards, TD)  also had a breakout night and there are plenty of encouraging pieces on offense.

Cam Harris looks like a perfect compliment to Dallas and had a game changing run called back by penalty.

 

Another bright spot was the run defense which held Florida to just 52 yards on the ground.

Oh, and Turnover Chain 3.0, or 305, made its debut and Miami rocked the new ice on four occasions.

 

The Bad

A lot to cover here.

Mistakes riddled the opening game for Manny Diaz and his new coaching staff.

Delays of game and false starts took the life out of drives that weren’t killed by sacks.

Williams was running for his life against a constant barrage of blitzes.

Both teams were sloppy, combining for over 200 yards in penalties on the night.

Diaz was not pleased.

“There were a couple major blunders on special teams and the short fields right there really ended up being telling in a very low scoring game where everything mattered. I thought our guys played with a lot of courage. I think they played with a lot of effort. But it doesn’t matter because we lost the game. We did not come here to play with courage and effort. We came here to win the game and it’s not OK at the University of Miami ever to lose to the University of Florida. Everybody in that locker room feels the pain of that right now.”

Mistakes should be expected with a mostly new coaching staff and quarterback, but the mental lapses compiled at an alarming rate.

The players were not the only ones making mental mistakes though.

 

Officials cannot be blamed for the result but it definitely was not a stellar night for the zebras.

That being said the calls went for and against both teams so the impact is moot.

The Ugly

The big uglies lived up to that monicker in resounding fashion Saturday night.

Allowing double-digit sacks at this level is uncommon, a performance like this raises many questions.

Florida is an elite defense but the Miami front five looked like matadors out there.

Part of that has to also fall on Dan Enos and the play calling.

In the first half Williams got rid of the ball quickly but in the third quarter is when things started to get sideways.

A fumble by Jeff Thomas on a punt with Miami up 13-1o started to signal the beginning of the end. Florida took it the rest of the way and reclaimed a 17-13 advantage.

Florida outscored Miami 10-0 in that 15 minutes which segued into the fourth quarter from hell.

That quarter started out with a bang for the Hurricanes.

 

The Hurricanes missed their shot at the end

That power move put the Hurricanes back on top 20-17 but was ultimately false hope.

The next three drives ended with a missed field goal and two failures on fourth down,

Miami pulled out some tricks when Bubba Baxa ran for a first down on a fake field goal.

The play had offsetting penalties with a hold by Miami, but an unnecessary roughness penalty on Florida gave the Hurricanes new life.

Which ended quickly.

Baxa missed a chip shot from 27 yards which proved costly as the Gators marched 80 yards in just four plays to retake the lead, one they would not relinquish.

Williams was sacked three times on the final drive, which also included a 15-yard chop block penalty.

Miami was gifted one last opportunity when the Gators were flagged for pass interference on 4th and 34.

How do you get to 4th and 34?

Illegal block penalty for 15 yards makes it 1st and 25

Pass to DeeJay loses one, 2nd and 26.

Williams sacked and fumbles, Dallas picks it up and gains four.

Third and 22, why not take a delay of game for five?

Third and 27, we like even numbers so give us a sack and a seven-yard loss.

There you have it, the night for the Hurricanes in a nutshell.

Follow us on Twitter for more Miami Hurricanes @SportsWaveDave and @5ReasonsSports.

Check out the 5 Rings Canes podcast for exclusive coverage of the Hurricanes.

Three Matchups the Hurricanes can Exploit vs Gators

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Week Zero is fast approaching as the Miami Hurricanes prepare to face the Florida Gators Saturday in Orlando.

The oddsmakers don’t love the Hurricanes in a neutral setting, but we all know how in-state rivalry games go.

Hurricanes – Gators: Game of the week

 

Here are three ways the Hurricanes can not only make a game of it, but steal a huge early season win.

The Hurricanes Pass Defense vs Felipe Franks

A once maligned position for the Gators has found some stability finally with Felipe Franks under center.

Franks made huge strides between his freshman and sophomore seasons and is expected to build on that again this year.

Where he has struggled historically is with accuracy, completing less than 57% of his passes for his career.

Franks does take care of the ball, only throwing six interceptions last year against 24 touchdowns.

On the other side of the coin is the Hurricanes pass defense, which last year was a major strength.

Manny Diaz’s defensive group was the best in college football in yards allowed per game in 2018.

They also led the nation in third down defense.

If the Miami defense can have some success on early downs, the pass rush should be able to generate pressure on Franks when it counts.

We all know what that means.

 

Gators Offensive Line is Suspect

That pass rush may have some success against a retooled Gators front five.

Florida lost four starters from last season and they will be put to the test right away.

The Gators only allowed 18 sacks last year, however with a lot of new moving parts there could be some early communication issues.

Miami will give Franks a lot of looks and you can bet there will be pressure on all levels, led by Jonathan Garvin on the defensive line.

Garvin comes off a breakout sophomore season with career bests in tackles (60) and sacks (5.5) along with two fumble recoveries.

We all know about the experienced and talented linebacker group, expect them to cause some confusion among the Gator front five.

Enos has a Plan for Jordan and Mallory

Another matchup the Hurricanes can exploit is the dual threats at tight end in Brevin Jordan and Will Mallory.

Dan Enos has brought in a system that gives the tight end group a lot of opportunities from multiple formations.

Florida has an excellent secondary led by cornerbacks CJ Henderson, Jr. and Marco Wilson, so Williams will have to be careful with the ball on the outside.

Thankfully for a new starting quarterback, the tight end combo of Jordan and Mallory are a nice safety net.

The Hurricanes will have to play a near perfect game to pull of the upset.

If Miami can keep the game close in the first half in a rivalry game, anything can happen.

Follow me on Twitter @SportsWaveDave. Tweet and at me saying who will win. Hurricanes or Gators?

Make sure to check out the 5 Rings Canes Podcast for exclusive Miami Hurricanes content.

 

 

It’s Jarren Williams’ Hurricanes now

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Jarren Williams is the chosen one. For now…

For the past couple weeks, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz made it seem like picking his first starting quarterback was like picking his first Pokemon.

He’s got three: Tate Martell (Charmander), N’Kosi Perry (Bulbasaur) and Jarren Williams (Squirtle). Each of them have different talents yet each of them can get you eight gym badges an into the Elite Four.

After the second scrimmage of fall camp, Diaz chose Williams and made it public through the team’s social media channel. This in turn vaulted Williams to the top of the pecking order and elevated him into the position of leader of the locker room.

“It’s the natural thing of having the confidence of the coaching staff and the team to know you’re the guy,” Diaz said. “Which is why we made the decision, it’s why we made it public, because we just felt that would far more superseded any value in making it a surprise on Saturday.”

Williams always had the confidence in himself necessary to become a starting quarterback. However being the starting quarterback didn’t automatically make him the leader of the team.

“Jarren has always been a leader,” Donaldson said. “Ever since he came in he’s been a vocal guy, trying to communicate with the whole offense, even the whole team, trying to get us on the same page. That’s what [offensive coordinator Dan Enos]  saw, I guess and he just took that stuff further now.”

“I feel like it’s a gradual process,” Williams said, “because throughout the summer and spring, my thing was I’m gonna show these guys that I’m gonna work and give everything I got for them. I go out there every day and I would give everything I had, empty the tank for them just to show them I’m gonna be a guy that you can rely on. So I feel like doing that time after time gradually built that leadership so that when I had the opportunity to be named starting quarterback, I was already in that leadership role.”

It almost didn’t came to be. Before the 2018 Pinstripe Bowl, Williams nearly transferred out of Miami. He chose to remain and even with extra competition coming in through the transfer portal and recruiting, he rose above it all and has earned his chance to lead the Hurricanes against the No. 8 Florida Gators.

“It’s very rewarding,” Williams said. “That really comes with me trusting God. I prayed about it and I know he would never lead me wrong.”

Williams said the turning point came when the team returned from an embarrassing bowl loss and Diaz quickly became the new head coach after Mark Richt announced his retirement.

“I feel like the whole mindset just started to change for everybody,” Williams said. 

Williams has received texts messages from former Miami quarterbacks Stephen Morris and Brad Kaaya encouraging him going into the biggest matchup of the season.

“They really just told me to be confident and be you,” Williams said. “This is the moment you prepared your whole life for. Don’t let the moment get too big for you.”

Transfer Portal Shuffles Hurricanes Secondary

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The Miami Hurricanes secondary approaches their season opener against Florida with some dissent within their ranks.

Miami lost not one but two members of that group in the past week.

Transfer portal giveth, transfer portal taketh away.

 

The departure of Smith will hurt the depth at safety, but the Hurricanes still have plenty of talent left to fill the void. The 6-foot-2, 220 pound Smith was the biggest safety on the team but did not perform up to expectations.

Amari Carter and Robert Knowles were both ahead of him for the strong safety spot. Carter enters his junior season ready for a leadership role, having played 25 games for the Hurricanes already.

USC transfer Bubba Bolden is also in the mix for playing time. Bolden was a teammate of Tate Martell at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas and the redshirt sophomore has tremendous upside but will need to get up to speed being a late arrival to the program. Once he settles in his talent is too great not to get extensive run.

At free safety Gurvan Hall  appears to be the front runner to start the season. The highly recruited Hall is a sophomore from Palm Beach Gardens who saw action in 12 games last year and is poised for a much larger contribution this year.

Besides Smith the Hurricanes secondary depth took another hit, losing cornerback Nigel Bethel. Miami is a little thinner at the corner spot, Bethel was battling for the fourth cornerback position with Christian Williams and Te’Cory Couch.

 

The freshmen Williams and Couch, along with sophomore DJ Ivey will be key rotational pieces throughout the season.

Leading the way in the Hurricanes secondary is junior cornerback Trajan Bandy.

The Muddy Badger is one of the top corners in the ACC and owns one of the best recent moments for The U.

 

Bandy really broke out in his sophomore season, notching career highs in just about every important defensive category.

His five “Turnover Chains” also led the team and Bandy earned a spot on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list.

Across from Bandy at the opposite corner will likely be Al Blades, Jr. who enters his sophomore season as a player on the rise.

Blades looks to continue the incredible family tradition at Miami and has all the physical and mental makeup to do so. He served as special teams captain twice last year and like his family who played here is a great vocal and emotional leader.

Ivey is another defensive back to watch, he played in 11 games last year mostly on special teams. With the departure of Bethel he slots in as the third cornerback on the depth chart.

Follow us on Twitter for more Miami Hurricanes @SportsWaveDave and @5ReasonsSports.

Check out the 5 Rings Canes podcast for exclusive Canes content all season.

 

Related:

Miami Hurricanes – Is Offensive Line Biggest Question Mark?

Tate Martell working at wide receiver

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First, we find out who was named the starting quarterback, then two players who would have seen significant playing time (CB Nigel Bethel, Jr. is the latest) decide to enter the transfer portal. What’s next, Tate Martell moving to wide receiver? 

Well, yes.

When the Canes’ announced Jarren Williams as the starting quarterback on Monday, the first thought for a lot of fans wasn’t to say congratulations to Williams on winning the battle. It was, “so what does Tate do now?” On the College Football Daily podcast, 247 Director of Scouting Barton Simmons said Martell should give take a shot at wide receiver. 

It seems as though the idea may have been on Martell’s mind as well. 

The New Wide-Out in Town

W.G. Ramirez, a Las Vegas-based sports writer sent out a tweet on Thursday that said Martell “former Gorman QB and three-time national HS champion Tate Martell is expected to try his hand at wide receiver.”  

Nothing was confirmed at that point until yesterday evening when The Athletic columnist and Miami Hurricanes beat writer Manny Navarro sent out a tweet that said: “Have been told by a #UM source today was the first day Tate Martell experimented with playing wide receiver at Miami.” Thursday’s practice was completely closed to media by Miami.

Minutes after the Navarro tweet, Miami Herald columnist Barry Jackson tweeted this, “Martell taking WR snaps in tonight’s scrimmage, am told.” The Canes’ held a scrimmage last night at Hard Rock Stadium (pray for no injuries).

None of us know yet if the move is permanent or if it is just an experiment, but this could be a great move. 

He Looks the Part

Martell has posted some pretty fast 20-yard shuttle times in the past and is very athletic. He has even been seen in the past running routes and catching passes from other quarterbacks. 

I can see Coach Enos drawing up some special packages with Martell playing both quarterback and wide receiver. 

It’s almost like Ryan Tannehill is back again. But not really.

Although, guys seem to have a bit more success switching from quarterback to receiver. Some notable names: Julian Edelman, Antwaan Randle-El, and more recently guys like Josh Cribbs and Terrelle Pryor. Could Tate Martell be next?

In just 7 days on August 24th, Miami opens up its season against the Florida Gators at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. It’s showtime! 

 

Follow us on Twitter @jazzsantana and @5ReasonsSports for all your Miami Hurricanes news.

Check out the 5 Rings Canes podcast for exclusive insider content.

Go Canes!

Canes Junior, Derrick Smith enters transfer portal.

Surprise News: Smith Enters the Portal! Depth at Safety Not a Concern.

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The portal strikes again. Yet this time, this one was a bit of a surprise. With just 11 days away before the week 0 game against that team up in Gainesville, junior safety Derrick Smith tweeted yesterday that he is no longer a member of the Canes football program and has decided to enter his name in the transfer portal. Smith was thought of as a significant contributor this season in the secondary.

Smith was Showing Out!

Smith started his career at safety and then made the move to striker last season. With Romeo Finley’s return and the emergence of Gil Frierson, Smith made the move back to safety. He showed tons of promise in camp and was on track to get plenty of playing time. That looked even more apparent after a strong showing in the Canes first scrimmage. 

 In a recent article by Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald, safeties coach Ephraim banda was quoted as saying “You know, I think he did a really good job in the off season of spending a lot of time in the meeting room and just getting extra work”. Coach Banda also went on by saying “I think he improved in the weight room and really dedicated himself in that area and really bought into [strength and conditioning] Coach Feeley.” 

 Why the Sudden Change?

With all that being said, Smith was going to have a hard time unseating Amari Carter and Gurvan Hall as the starter. Those two have had really good training camps and have solidified their starting roles. That ultimately may have been the deciding factor in Smith leaving. 

 The other factor may have been the recent arrival of USC transfer Bubba Bolden. The highly touted transfer and former high school teammate of Tate Martell and Brevin Jordan, comes in late, but with high expectations. It seems as though Bolden has been able to come in and catch on quickly. 

My final theory could be, the strong push this fall by the infamous Robert Knowles. Could he have been threatening Smith for his playing time? I have a feeling we will be seeing him on the field a lot (biting my nails as I write that). 

 The Future Looks Bright!

Although the transfer comes as a surprise to all of us, especially the timing of it, many do not seem to be too concerned. With guys like Bolden and even freshman Keontra Smith, the depth at safety looks promising. Look for Keontra to now play a bigger role as a backup and on special teams. 

What does concern me, however, is that more and more kids are transferring at the first sight of adversity. Sure, the Canes have benefitted from the transfer portal, but it has also hurt them. One thing is for certain, entering the portal does not guarantee you a starting job anywhere. Chances are, you will have to fight for your spot anywhere else you go. What the portal giveth, it can also taketh away. 

 

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Manny Diaz leading the culture change

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On December 30, 2018 the Hurricane program was flipped on top of its head.

The head coach, Mark Richt, retired abruptly after 3 seasons and a 26-13 record. The 2018 season of his tenure was very dark, coming off a 10-3 season the previous year.

The Hurricanes had high expectations that they could not meet. Many factors went into this such as; bad QB play, the offensive coordinator’s play calling was terrible, and the team stopped believing in Mark Richt.

Miami then turned to Manny Diaz 18 days after he had taken a head coach job at Temple. The job Diaz has done is already exceeding expectations. He’s bringing back the Miami culture and has rejuvenated it.

The main reason why is because Manny Diaz understands what it takes to coach the Hurricanes. It is by far one the hardest jobs. It comes with many expectations, as well as distractions for the players who go to the University Of Miami. Diaz has brought new energy, swagger, and belief in the program, hence his hashtag in recruiting #TNM ( The New Miami) .

Players committing left and right shows that they believe in the Diaz culture in Miami. This is a real turnaround that brings back the Miami Hurricanes every fan loved in the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s. I think Miami has the right guy, a young coach with energy.

Most importantly he understands the Miami culture, because he’s born and raised here. He also went to the U so it’s  a match made in heaven in my opinion. Hurricane fans gear up and watch Manny Diaz culture change. Let him work his magic through the good and bad during his coaching tenure.