Hurricanes jobs open at linebacker and striker. Where things stand, with input from coach
Some Miami Hurricanes nuggets from my conversation with Jonathan Patke, UM’s assistant coach involved with coaching the outside linebackers, strikers and special teams:
▪ This is an unusual position for coach Manny Diaz and the defensive assistants who have been here with him since he arrived as Miami’s defensive coordinator in 2016: having multiple jobs genuinely open at linebacker and striker.
Zach McCloud, of course, has a very good chance to be one of the linebackers on the field most or all of the time.
But there are six other talented linebackers competing for snaps: Sam Brooks, Avery Huff, Bradley Jennings Jr., Patrick Joyner Jr. and freshmen Tirek-Austin Cave and Corey Flagg Jr. (Ryan Ragone also got some game action last year).
Meanwhile, there was an open competition at striker between former cornerback Gilbert Frierson and ex-safety Keontra Smith before spring practice was shut down due to coronavirus.
▪ Frierson moved from cornerback to striker last offseason and appeared in 13 games last season as a sophomore, backing up Romeo Finley (who’s now with the Los Angeles Chargers) and starting one game.
According to Miami Herald metrics correspondent Daniel Gould, Frierson allowed just five catches in the regular season, but those receptions went for 133 yards. But UM likes the skill set.
“Gilbert — coming from the corner room to the striker room — put on a lot of good weight,” Patke said. “He had a good season last year. When Gilbert gets in, he finds the football, always has great production. He has a natural feel for the game, Against the run, I see things that leave me encouraged. He he has a natural feel what to do [against the] run in the box.”
But Patke cautions that UM isn’t simply handing him the striker job. Smith, the four-star safety out of Hollywood Chaminade Madonna, shared first-team snaps with Frierson during spring practice. Smith had two tackles last season playing primarily on special teams, and UM shifted him to striker in February.
“Keontra will push [Frierson],” Patke said “They were going back and forth battling.”
As far as playing striker — a hybrid linebacker/safety position — Patke said “Keontra did a lot of that in high school, rolled into the box in high school in that hybrid body, big safety [role] that will tackle in the box, which is exactly what the striker is. We thought he could translate well in that room. He is a bigger-body guy that can hold up in the run game but runs well enough to run out to cover.”
▪ Four-star Hialeah Champagnat freshman Jalen Harrell will play either safety or striker, but that decision has not been made, Patke said. Cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph previously said Harrell won’t be a cornerback at UM — at least for now — though he has the skill set to do it.
The striker position, which Diaz created for the Hurricanes’ defense in Mark Richt’s final season as coach (2018), has become critically important because, as Patke said, “Every first and second down, it’s going to be a striker body out there.”
▪ At linebacker, life will be different without Shaq Quarterman (now with the Jacksonville Jaguars) and Mike Pinckney, who’s healing from hip surgery and hopes to sign with an NFL team later this year.
“This is what you want,” Patke said. “You want great competition. The more depth you can have, the more competition it breeds. We’re excited to have that. First time since we’ve been here that it’s an open door for anyone to grab those jobs at all three levels, because Shaq isn’t walking in the door. Nothing is being given to these guys.”
McCloud, who wisely decided to redshirt last season to preserve a year of eligibility, is the leader of this group and figures to play the most, barring injury or a younger player surprisingly overtaking him.
McCloud has started 32 games as a Hurricane and has 138 tackles (including 13 for loss) and 2.5 sacks, and his 1,469 defensive snaps at UM are the most of any returning Canes defender.
“I got to coach him as an outside SAM backer, and he made the transition to inside,” Patke said. “He’s a phenomenal guy, best teammate you can have, a coach-pleaser. The guy is going to try to do everything right, will be the hardest worker in mat drills and the weight room. To have his leadership” is vital.
Patke discussed the team’s other linebackers who came here on scholarship:
▪ Sophomore Brooks: He had 18 tackles last season, but 12 came in the Independence Bowl filling in for Pinckney, who has said he was not permitted to play in that game because of academics.
“He is a heck of a player than can run really well,” Patke said. “He showed he can do it in the bowl game. He’s ready to take the next step.”
▪ Redshirt freshman Huff, who didn’t play last season: “Big, long athlete that can absolutely fly,” Patke said. “With his length and Sam’s length, it’s two big dudes who can run around.”
▪ Junior Jennings, who missed spring ball with a hip injury that sidelined him last season. He had 15 tackles in 16 combined games for UM in 2017 and 2018:
“Not the tallest of dudes [6-1] but a powerful man,” Patke said. “Will play with great pad level. We felt good about him where he was at before the hip injury. He’s at home working, will be a big piece for us. B.J. is a true MIKE linebacker.”
▪ Redshirt sophomore Joyner: He had five tackles in four games as a freshman in 2018, then missed most of last season (and redshirted) while recovering from an offseason leg injury. He moved from defensive end to linebacker during the 2019 offseason and showed flashes that spring before the leg injury.
“He’s a big, physical dude, long arms,” Patke said. “He would be an inside guy for us. He has a natural ability to get to the quarterback and slip blocks. Big dude that is a true thumper inside. We put him at linebacker full time this spring, and that’s what he needs.”
▪ Freshman Flagg, who missed spring ball due to injury:
The three-star prospect from Houston is “very instinctive, a ball junkie, wants to talk about ball nonstop,” Patke said.
“He’s working hard to get healthy. Not the tallest of guys [at 5-11], but a strong, powerful dude. Was well-coached in Houston. He’s a true thumper, a true inside linebacker that can be a run-stopper very much similar to Shaq Quarterman.”
▪ Freshman Austin-Cave, who missed spring ball due to injury:
The three-star prospect from New Jersey “can absolutely run like nobody’s business, can run sideline to sideline,” Patke said. “Recruiting that high school, [it was clear] teammates and coaches love him. Everybody says he’s a different type of guy with a will to win. Can play MIKE or WILL and could go outside if we have to.”
