Miami to face Alabama with revamped front seven. A look at UM’s initial depth chart
The Miami Hurricanes will try to match up with the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide and its star-studded offensive line by rolling with a new-look front seven Saturday in Atlanta.
After the departures of Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche, Miami is turning to two new starters at defensive end, changing its striker and going with two first-time starters at linebacker, according to a depth chart the Hurricanes unveiled Monday.
Zach McCloud and Jahfari Harvey will start at defensive end, with some combination of Nesta Jade Silvera, Jared Harrison-Hunte and Jon Ford at defensive tackle. Sophomore Keontra Smith and freshman Corey Flagg Jr. will start at linebacker, and Amari Carter, after moving from safety, will start at striker over longtime starter Gilbert Frierson.
McCloud, who spent most of the past five years at linebacker, moved to defensive end ahead of the 2020 Cheez-It Bowl and is one of the No. 14 Hurricanes’ most experienced players, while Harvey, a third-year redshirt freshman, will make his second consecutive start at end after he started in the Cheez-It Bowl when Phillips and Roche opted out. Flagg and Smith, a converted striker, will make their first career starts at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Carter will start in his first game at his new position.
“Zach’s just had a super year. From the day I walked in here to now, the guy’s just done everything you’d want. He’s done extra. He’s really, really improved himself as a player,” defensive line coach Jess Simpson said. “Coach [Manny] Diaz made a comment the other day: He thinks he’s playing the best football of his career, which is a huge compliment to him, playing a new position.”
On the offensive front, star left tackle Zion Nelson is listed as the starter despite missing a significant portion of training camp with an undisclosed issue and DJ Scaife is listed as the starting right tackle, with fellow offensive lineman Jarrid Williams backing up Nelson on the left side. Williams, who was the regular starter at right tackle last season, spent much of fall camp working at left tackle in Nelson’s absence and is the clear backup plan if Nelson isn’t ready to go this weekend.
All three linemen should get playing time this season, although Diaz said, “Zion’s ready to go” for the opener.
Miami’s initial depth chart of the 2021 college football season also makes its backup plan for quarterback D’Eriq King clear as he prepares to make his first start since tearing his right aneterior cruciate ligament in the Cheez-It Bowl: Second-year freshman Tyler Van Dyke and true freshman Jake Garcia are listed as co-backups.
Garcia is one of five true freshmen on the two-deep depth chart, joined by tight end Elijah Arroyo, kicker Andres Borregales, and safeties James Williams and Kamren Kinchens. Former five-star defensive tackle Leonard Taylor is not on the depth chart entering his first career game.
The three freshman wide receivers — Romello Brinson, Jacolby George and Brashard Smith — are also absent from the depth chart, as is veteran Mark Pope. Key’Shawn Smith is the third starting wide receiver alongside Mike Harley and Charleston Rambo.
Other Miami depth-chart observations
▪ Xavier Restrepo is, unsurprisingly, Harley’s backup in the slot, but the other two wide receiver reserve spots seemed to be wide open throughout camp. Dee Wiggins and Michael Redding III won out in the initial competition.
▪ The Hurricanes have three cornerbacks listed as co-starters: Tyrique Stevenson, DJ Ivey and Te’Cory Couch. All got regular work with the first-team defense throughout the preseason and Miami should frequently play all three together, with Couch lining up as the nickelback. Al Blades Jr. is the fourth cornerback.
▪ Deandre Johnson settles for a backup job at defensive end after transferring from the Tennessee Volunteers in the fall. He and fellow defensive lineman Chantz Williams, the other backup defensive end, will both rotate in.
▪ Behind Smith and Flagg, the Hurricanes list their two most veteran linebackers as the backups. Bradley Jennings Jr. and Waynmon Steed have both started multiple games in their careers, and they beat out fellow linebackers Avery Huff and Tirek Austin-Cave for the reserve roles. Linebacker Sam Brooks Jr. will not play Saturday as he continues to build back up to full strength after an offseason toe injury.
▪ Harley and Restrepo are the starting kick returners, and Stevenson is the starting punt returner. Smith and Couch are listed backup kick returners, with Restrepo as the backup punt returner.
▪ Offensive lineman John Campbell Jr., defensive end Thomas Davis and safety Brian Balom are all out for the season, Diaz said. Campbell was slated to be a backup at tackle and Balom was in position to be a backup safety. Davis, a true freshman, was a candidate to redshirt, anyway.
This story was originally published August 30, 2021 at 12:26 PM.
