Manny Diaz discusses player who has exceeded his expectations, addresses other UM issues
Quick hits from Miami Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz’s Tuesday press briefing, with three practices, one scrimmage and an April 17 spring game remaining in spring practice:
▪ He loves how Zach McCloud has adjusted in his move from linebacker to defensive end:
“It is a transition and Zach has exceeded my expectations. Not that I didn’t think he would do well there. I didn’t think he would look so natural so soon.
“Some guys when you say just go at defensive end, there’s a lot more go, go, go, where at linebacker you have to process where you go. He’s so experienced and intelligent and wants to learn. He’s soaking up all of Jess Simpson’s coaching like a sponge. Defensive end is a glamour position in this defense.”
Diaz noted that former Hurricanes and ex-Dolphins player Trent Harris made a similarly successful transition between linebacker and defensive end.
▪ Defensive end Deandre Johnson, the transfer from Tennessee and a potential starter, participated in a team practice for the first time Tuesday. He had been out for health and safety protocols; UM never discloses whether a player was out because he was diagnosed with COVID-19 or whether he was merely a close contact of someone with the virus.
“Today was his first day in a team setting for health protocol reasons - excited to get him more and more reps as we close out the spring,” Diaz said.
▪ Diaz believes the offensive line will have more quality and depth. We can roll for sure more than five, it can be seven, eight, nine guys and not expect a drop-off,” Diaz said. “That’s been very encouraging.”
Though offensive tackle Issiah Walker hasn’t been mentioned much this spring, Diaz said he’s “getting better.”
▪ He said defensively, “the main objective has been to eliminate the big runs.”
Results have been mixed.
“It’s been a constant back and forth,” he said. “We are slowly becoming a more physical team up front on both lines of scrimmage but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
▪ Who has impressed at wide receiver?
“The entire group has made progress. Mike Harley is still a leader of the group. [Former Oklahoma receiver Charleston] Rambo has given us a big shot in the arm. Mark Pope, Dee Wiggins continue to improve. [Xavier] Restrepo makes plays every day in practice. [Daz] Worsham has really made strides. Keyshawn Smith, we still think has a bright future and is pressing everyone.”
Diaz also mentioned Michael Redding.
“I still believe in the wide receiver room we play more than three,” Diaz said. “I’m hoping we have six to eight who can go in with no noticeable drop-off. That might be ambitious on my part.”
Four others are on scholarship: Jeremiah Payton (who hasn’t been mentioned by coaches this spring) and three freshmen who haven’t yet enrolled — Romello Brinson, Jacolby George and Brashard Smith.
▪ How has it gone handling defensive coordinator responsibilities again?
“I already had a role [on defense]. It’s just getting into the play-calling; I’ve been doing that a long time. It’s been fun. It’s been easy. I think the guys are responding. The guys have responded. Defensively we’re trying to get back to having an edge about us. We lost the edge. That’s what this spring is about.”
▪ Diaz noted that there are 2,500 football players in the transfer portal, and he worries about rules that prohibit teams from replacing players who leave beyond the 25 annual scholarship commitment.
“If we stay stuck at 25, players can leave your team but you don’t have players to replace them,” Diaz said, noting that if there’s a mass exodus at a position, “it’s going to be very hard to field a football team. The best thing we can do is have a program where players want to stay. I think players are here for the right reasons.”
▪ Diaz remains hopeful that the NCAA will permit on-campus visits by recruits beginning in June,
“Everybody is planning like that’s going to be the case,” Diaz said. “This June will be a different June than any other June. We will host more. You have to adjust to the situation and be flexible.”
He expects a big surge in commitments but that other players will “play it out.”
UM has only one nonbinding 2022 commitment, from Georgia-based quarterback Jacurri Brown.
Quarterbacks Jake Garcia and Tyler Van Dyke spoke today and The Herald will have a story on that later today.
This story was originally published April 6, 2021 at 11:39 AM.
