Fab freshmen, rising WRs, Restrepo’s catch and takeaways from Miami’s first practices
When the Miami Hurricanes’ offense lined up for their first drills of training camp Friday in Coral Gables, multiple players without starting experience went with the first-team unit on Greentree Practice Fields.
Considering it was merely the commencement of fall camp — with nearly a month until the season opener against Alabama — there was plenty of time for coach Manny Diaz and company to name starters, but it was also a significant sign about the development of some of Miami’s most talented young players.
Wide receiver Key’Shawn Smith and offensive lineman Jalen Rivers were among the biggest revelations from the Hurricanes’ first two practices of the season. On Friday and Saturday nights, Miami opened up campus to friends, family and media to watch a pair of practices to kick off the 2021 college football season. Sunday’s practice was to be closed to the media.
Some of what we learned:
Smith gets first-team work
Quarterback D’Eriq King spent the last month talking up Smith and it seems his praise is warranted. The 6-foot-1, 188-pound freshman, who played in eight games last season and had two catches for 58 yards, spent most of the Hurricanes’ first practice Friday working with presumptive starting wide receivers Mike Harley and Charleston Rambo, an indication he was among the best performer at the position throughout the offseason.
Smith was listed as a co-starter at wideout for most of the second half of the 2020 college football season, but didn’t actually start any games. The competition for the No. 3 receiver spot, however, is wide open and Smith started the spring game in April at Hard Rock Stadium.
While wide receivers Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins are incumbent starters, Smith and fellow wide receiver Xavier Restrepo are pushing the juniors. King hyped up Smith on Friday, mentioning him after Harley and tight end Will Mallory when he was listing off the receivers he’s glad to have back this year.
Restrepo, whose muscular hamstrings and quadriceps are like massive rocks, is the compact, energized second-year freshman who is all over the field, including on returns. On Saturday night, he dove toward the sideline in an attempt to catch a sinking, rocketed pass that he could have caught but wasn’t exactly an easy get. He was visibly angry when he couldn’t bring it in.
Then, soon afterward in the last play of the night, Restrepo leaped for a dramatic, beautiful grab in the same spot. Teammates mobbed him to celebrate, and they all ran into the indoor practice facility.
▪ Regarding quarterbacks, offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee told reporters Saturday night that the backup spot, between second-year freshman Tyler Van Dyke and freshman Jake Garcia, could go “all the way to the first game.’’
“...Obviously, Tyler’s been here longer so there’s probably a different comfort level. Those guys will continue to split reps as camp progresses.’’
Jalen Rivers at left guard
With offensive lineman Jakai Clark limited after an offseason car accident, Rivers got the first look at left guard Friday.
The 6-5, 325-pound freshman played in seven games last year and earned plaudits throughout the spring for his combination of size, athleticism and intelligence.
On Friday, Miami’s first-team offensive linemen were, from left to right, Zion Nelson, Rivers, Corey Gaynor, Navaughn Donaldson and Jarrid Williams. Offensive lineman DJ Scaife Jr., who started the spring game at right tackle, worked at both left tackle and left guard Friday.
Diaz opens up defensive competition
On defense, few players actually spent the entire practice playing with the first-team unit. Only safeties Bubba Bolden and Gurvan Hall seemed to be fixtures with the starters — and this was, in part, because Diaz kept all the true freshmen on the third-team unit Friday, which meant potential backup safeties James Williams and Kamren Kinchens couldn’t rotate in.
At cornerback, DJ Ivey and Te’Cory Couch both began 11-on-11 action with the starters, but Tyrique Stevenson and Isaiah Dunson rotated in. At linebacker, Waynmon Steed and Bradley Jennings Jr. started, but Corey Flagg Jr. and Keontra Smith both came in. Gilbert Frierson started at striker, but Amari Carter got some first-team looks, too.
Even up front, Miami gave eight defensive linemen looks, with Deandre Johnson and Zach McCloud starting at defensive end, and Jordan Miller and Jon Ford starting at defensive tackle, while defensive linemen Nesta Jade Silvera, Jahfari Harvey, Chantz Williams and Jared Harrison-Hunte were all next in line.
On Saturday, the first- and second-team defenses were almost entirely flipped. There are few clear frontrunners through two days of camp.
Five-star freshmen make debuts
Neither Williams nor freshman defensive linemen Leonard Taylor moved up from the third-team defense Friday, but Williams, at least, looked really comfortable in his first Hurricanes practice Friday.
The 6-5, 224-pound safety moves well despite his massive frame, which drew constant shouts of, “Go get it, big fella!” from defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson. After Diaz dismissed safety Avantae Williams from the program last month following an arrest, Miami is looking for backup safeties and Williams, who was the No. 1 safety in the country last year at Plantation American Heritage, could have a chance to compete.
The freshmen wide receivers were also impressive Friday. Miami Northwestern’s Romello Brinson, who was the No. 25 wide receiver in the 247Sports.com composite rankings for the Class of 2021, used his 6-2 frame to make a number of difficult catches and Miami Palmetto’s Brashard Smith made the best play of the day, getting both feet down on a one-handed grab during a 1-on-1 drill.
As for the offensive linemen, Miami Central’s Laurence Seymore and Miami Columbus’ Ryan Rodriguez also made their debuts, and Seymore actually was the third-team center with Rodriguez at left guard. The two freshmen were listed at opposite positions in national recruiting rankings.
More Miami Hurricanes football notes
▪ Clark, who had surgery on the acromioclavicular joint in his right shoulder after his car accident is “doing individual drills,” Diaz said Friday. He’s still not expected to be ready for the opener next month.
▪ Cornerback Al Blades Jr., who had been recovering from a lower-body stress fracture, was able to work out “with modifications” in the Hurricanes’ first practice, Diaz said. “Our [physical therapists] are kind of progressing him through some different side-to-side movements. To me, he’s a big part of our plans moving forward.’’
▪ Diaz said Williams’ dismissal following an aggravated battery charge was a topic of discussion with the rest of his players, a message that, “It can be just one poor decision, one poor choice. Unfortunately, it has consequences. I hate to just trivialize it as just a learning incident, but certainly we spoke to our team about it and what it means and hopefully we all can learn from it going forward.’’
This story was originally published August 7, 2021 at 9:01 PM.
