Miami Hurricanes have kicked off fall camp. Lightning alarm sends them inside within hour
Miami Hurricanes fall football camp is on the clock in Coral Gables.
And that clock was interrupted at 7:48 p.m. Friday by a lightning alarm that sent the Hurricanes scampering into the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility to continue their first preseason session of 2019.
Fall practice kicked off at 7 p.m. at Greentree Field, and the energy was evident not only among the players, but also through the crowd that included 1,000 fans who happily registered after new head coach Manny Diaz sent out an invitation via social media. As the lightning siren blared, the fans exited.
The Canes wore shorts and jerseys, with no pads, per NCAA rules during the acclimation period.
Some quick hits as UM finishes practice:
▪ Redshirt sophomore Tate Martell, the high-profile quarterback who transferred from Ohio State, took the first snaps from center, with no defense set up. Redshirt freshman Jarren Williams took the next snaps. And third in line was redshirt sophomore and 2018 part-time starter N’Kosi Perry.
Keep in mind that UM usually uses the summer offseason conditioning workouts to determine who starts at the beginning of fall camp. This can, and likely will, change for many positions in the coming days.
The session began with the three in the starting race joining freshman scholarship QB Peyton Matocha and the walk-ons lined up next to each other doing a group throwing drill.
▪ Here were the other starters Friday in each position group.
OFFENSE:
Offensive line, left to right: Zion Nelson, Navaughn Donaldson, Corey Gaynor, D.J. Scaife, Kai-Leon Herbert.
Wideouts: K.J. Osborn and Jeff Thomas and Dee Wiggins.
Running back: DeeJay Dallas.
Tight end: Brevin Jordan (back from a spring knee injury).
DEFENSE:
Defensive ends: Jon Garvin and Scott Patchan.
Tackles: Jonathan Ford and Pat Bethel.
Linebackers: Michael Pinckney, Shaq Quarterman and striker Romeo Finley.
Cornerbacks: Trajan Bandy and Al Blades.
Safeties: Amari Carter and Gurvan Hall.
▪ Among the freshman Canes at their first official practice were quarterback Peyton (Houston St. Thomas), wearing jersey No. 17; four-star safety Keontra Smith (Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna), No. 4; linebacker Sam Brooks (Miami Northwestern), No. 6; Cameron Williams (Chaminade-Maddona), No. 22; consensus four-star cornerback Christian Williams (Daphne, Alabama), who decommitted from Alabama to come to UM, No. 24; offensive lineman Jakai Clark (Loganville, Georgia), No. 53;
▪ Among the new transfers practicing were defensive tackle Chigozie Nnoruka (UCLA), who now has former star defensive end Joe Jackson’s jersey No. 99; Australian punter Louis Hedley, No. 94; offensive lneman Ousman Traore (Hutchinson Community College); and defensive end Trevon Hill (Virginia Tech), No. 94 (note that UM uses multiple jersey numbers for offense/defense.)
▪ The three players who weren’t practicing (and not sure if they were here), as expected, were linebackers Patrick Joyner, Bradley Jennings and Waynmon Steed.
More to come after practice ends.
