The player who has been better than what a key UM coach thought. And playing time changes
A 10-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Monday, with Saturday’s home game against FSU looming (7:30 p.m., ABC):
▪ When Rhett Lashlee arrived as UM’s offensive coordinator in January, he knew he had a solid lead running back in Cam’Ron Harris.
But he didn’t know he had this — a player who has been more impactful than nearly any other running back in the country two weeks into the season.
I asked Lashlee if Harris is even better than what he expected after watching Harris’ film in January and February.
“When I first got here, Cam seemed like a solid back,” Lashlee said. “Four days of spring ball he really impressed me. He’s faster than what I thought he was, more explosive than what I thought he was. First two games, he has shown flashes of that. Really glad he has had a strong first two games.”
Not only is Harris third in the country in rushing yards at 268, but his 10.3 average — bolstered by two long TD runs — places him fourth in yards per carry.
Only Texas-San Antonio’s Sincere McCormick and SMU’s Ulysses Bentley IV have more rushing yards than Harris in FBS.
▪ In the wake of DJ Ivey’s disappointing performance in the opener against UAB, UM coaches gave more defensive snaps on Saturday to Te’Cory Couch (58) than Ivey (33), per Pro Football Focus.
Cornerback Al Blades Jr. played 75 snaps, and freshman Isaiah Dunson played 9.
Defensive coordinator Blake Baker said Ivey played much better Saturday and credited Couch for his “two forced fumbles on big-time hits on the sidelines.”
▪ In a highly competitive three-way battle at safety, Bubba Bolden has emerged from the pack with his strong tackling (among other things), and playing time numbers on Saturday reflect that.
Bolden played 78 defensive snaps, with Amari Carter next at 64 and Gurvan Hall at 25. Freshman Brian Balom played eight defensive snaps.
Coach Manny Diaz said Hall was nicked up during the game but was able to play; Diaz said UM simply didn’t feel it was necessary to play him a lot in the wake of that undisclosed injury.
▪ Based on playing-time allocation, Jared Harrison-Hunte appears to have emerged as UM’s No. 3 defensive tackle, which isn’t surprising considering what Diaz said about him last week.
Starters Jon Ford (48 snaps) and Nesta Silvera (46) played the most defensive snaps among the defensive tackles on Saturday, but Harrison-Hunte was next with 34, compared with 22 for Jordan Miller, 12 for Jason Blissett and 8 for Jalar Holley.
▪ Offensively, with Jeremiah Payton (essentially the No. 4 receiver) out for the Louisville game, here’s how the wide receiver snap counts were sorted out, per PFF:
Dee Wiggins 60, Mark Pope 57, Mike Harley Jr. 31, freshman Michael Redding 7 and freshman Keyshawn Smith 6. Per PFF, Marshall Few and Xavier Restrepo didn’t play on offense.
▪ PFF said the Hurricanes’ offensive line didn’t allow a single quarterback pressure or sack. D’Eriq King was pressured on five dropbacks, but PFF said the offensive line wasn’t responsible for any of them. Lashlee agreed, noting the offensive line isn’t responsible for a single sack through two games.
PFF rated the five starting offensive linemen this way for Saturday’s game, from best to worst: Jarrid Williams, Corey Gaynor, DJ Scaife, John Campbell and Jakai Clark.
Lashlee said Williams — the grad transfer right tackle from Houston — “has been steady. His experience has helped on the right side. We’re really glad we got him.”
▪ I asked defensive coordinator Blake Baker what players he would like to give more snaps to, but has not been able to because of game circumstances or depth at a position.
He named three: linebacker Avery Huff (“has really proven himself on special teams; done a phenomenal job early in the season; a guy we want to get greased up to play”); freshman linebacker Corey Flagg Jr., and freshman cornerback Dunson.
“The thing we preach on defense is prove yourself on special teams and that’s how you get your wings to fly on defense,” Baker said, praising the work assistant coach Jon Patke has done with these players on special teams.
▪ For Saturday’s game, Pro Football Focus gave its top five grades on offense to King, tight end Will Mallory, Harris, tight end Brevin Jordan and Williams.
Clark, Wiggins and running back Don Chaney Jr. received the lowest grades.
▪ PFF gave its top five grades on defense to linebacker Zach McCloud, Harrison-Hunte, Blades, Blissett and Dunson, though the last two of those had modest snap counts. Ford and striker Keontra Smith (32 snaps) were given the worst grades.
▪ ABC’s lead team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will call Saturday’s UM-FSU game — their second consecutive Hurricanes assignment.
“Tell ya what,” Herbstreit tweeted after UM’s win against Louisville. “With new OC @rhettlashlee, new QB @DeriqKing_ and the skill within this uptempo multiple look offense-the Canes offense is going to be VERY HARD to stop. Get use to the name @Brevinjordan.. About to have a MONSTER year for The U.”
This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 5:34 PM.
