News and injury updates from the Miami Hurricanes’ first post-scrimmage practice
The University of Miami began its 10th session of fall football camp Tuesday morning, two days after the Hurricanes’ first scrimmage on Sunday night.
Here’s what we learned from our media viewing of about 30 minutes:
▪ Fans can exhale regarding talented sophomore running back Cam’Ron Harris, who left the scrimmage field on Sunday after he sustained what appeared to be a right knee injury. Harris practiced with the rest of the running backs Tuesday, but he was wearing a black, elasticized brace on his right knee. He seemed to be moving pretty well.
▪ The first-team quarterback order in individual drills when we walked out to Greentree Field: N’Kosi Perry, followed by Tate Martell and then Jarren Williams. Williams, a redshirt freshman who only played in one game last season, looked most consistent.
▪ The most notable depth chart change from the scrimmage was on the offensive line. John Campbell, a 6-5, 310-pound redshirt freshman, bumped 6-5, 302-pound redshirt sophomore Kai-Leon Herbert from the first-team unit and began the team period Tuesday as the starting right tackle. The rest of the offensive line remained the same with Zion Nelson at left tackle, Navaughn Donaldson at left guard, Corey Gaynor at center and DJ Scaife at right guard.
▪ Defensive tackle Chigozie Nnoruka, a redshirt senior graduate transfer from UCLA, and redshirt sophomore wide receiver Evidence Njoku both were in their uniforms, but worked out by themselves in a sandpit off to the side of Greentree Field. The two veterans worked with both a sledgehammer and medicine ball at points throughout the practice.
▪ Walk-on offensive lineman Jared “Moose” Griffith, a redshirt freshman, also sustained an apparent right-ankle injury. He didn’t put any pressure on his right foot, was taken off the field in a cart.
▪ Miami tested out a new defensive alignment — new to outside viewers, at least — at the start of a team period. The Hurricanes ran out a unit with only three defensive linemen and six defensive backs. Jonathan Garvin, Jonathan Ford and Scott Patchan were the defensive linemen, with Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney as the only two traditional linebackers. In the secondary, Miami used Al Blades Jr. and DJ Ivey as the cornerbacks, with Trajan Bandy in the slot and Amari Carter and Robert Knowles as the traditional safeties. Gurvan Hall, who had two interceptions in Sunday’s scrimmage, was in the box playing a striker-type role.
▪ Good news for UM’s defensive backs, as former USC star safety Bubba Bolden will apparently be heading to Miami later Tuesday. Bolden’s mom posted on Twitter: “Guess who boards a plan to Miami tonight???? This fella...’’ The tweet was accompanied by an photo illustration of Bolden.
This story was originally published August 6, 2019 at 10:57 AM.
