Canes set to get boost in backfield. And Diaz on UM feeling “disrespected and attacked”
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Tuesday:
▪ With the return of Jaylon Knighton from suspension - and recent visual evidence of the development of two freshmen - running back should go from being a question mark to an asset beginning Thursday against Virginia at Hard Rock Stadium.
The loss of Don Chaney Jr. to a season-ending knee injury was a huge blow, but UM now has other options if Cam’Ron Harris isn’t having a big night.
Knighton - who was suspended four games because of a legal issue that has not been disclosed publicly by anyone involved in the matter - is fast, elusive and a dangerous weapon in the passing game.
As a freshman last season, he averaged 4.0 yards per run on 52 carries and caught 11 passes for 135 yards (a 12.3 average).
“Glad to have him back; I fully expect him to play, make an impact,” offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. “He’s a guy who was competing for the starting job. He gives you some explosion. He’s a good football player. That will be good to have him.”
Manny Diaz said Knighton “adds a different dimension to our offense.”
Even though Central Connecticut State was outmanned, it was encouraging to see freshman runners Cody Brown and Thad Frankin run hard.
Franklin ran eight times for 100 yards, including a 31-yard TD run. Brown produced 77 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns.
“I was excited how they ran,” Lashlee said. “You’re looking at two guys where that’s their first college action. Run downhill, physical, not make mistakes - that’s a really good sign. They went out and did things right, ran the football the way we need our running backs to run the football, downhill. For the future, Thad showed he has ability as a big, physical downhill back and Cody ran the ball real physical as well.”
▪ Diaz addressed the swirling negativity around the program on WQAM’s Joe Rose Show and said he hopes it doesn’t hurt recruiting.
As far as criticism from fans and media and former players, “players understand it’s part and parcel of being here,” Diaz said. “Same thing with coaching here. That’s what it’s like to be at a school with high expectations. If you don’t want that, maybe this is not the place for you to play or for you to coach.
“Our players understand being tight in the locker room; that’s where your chemistry comes from. We understand the expectations here. The important thing is we keep producing better performances here in the short term. The whole thing comes down to we can’t sabotage our recruiting by scaring our own recruits away. That’s the most important thing. The worst thing we can do is fear-monger our recruits away.”
▪ Quick stuff from Diaz from WQAM’s Hurricane Hotline with Joe Zagacki and Don Bailey Jr.: He said “it’s just a matter of time before the big plays return for our tight end position.” Will Mallory has just eight catches for 64 yards in three games...
Diaz said Kirk Herbstreit’s commentary the other day made UM’s officials feel “a little disrespected and attacked.” He said “hopefully this does bring us together.”.. He said of not having an on-campus stadium, “I can’t believe we’re still talking about that. Our stadium is amazing.”... He said someone will always be able to afford “something shinier” than Miami but “what they don’t have is our people.”
▪ Beyond the three impressive freshman receivers, five-star safety James Williams looks like the freshman most likely to expand his role. He’s now listed on the depth chart as a co-starter with Gurvan Hall (opposite Bubba Bolden), and it would be surprising if he doesn’t start Thursday against Virginia.
“Playing young guys is not something I’m against; I’m for playing the best guys,” Diaz said. “Sometimes it might be 50/50 [split of playing time], 60/40. It depends how the game goes. That’s the process of determining what the best plan is going forward.”
Beyond the receivers, freshman running backs and tight end Elijah Arroyo and safeties Williams (40 snaps against Central Connecticut) and Kamren Kinchens (37 snaps), freshmen who received their first significant offensive or defensive playing time on Saturday included offensive linemen Michael McLaughlin and Laurence Seymore (18 snaps apiece), tight end Khalil Brantley (12), striker Chase Smith (35 snaps), linebacker Deshawn Troutman (8 snaps), defensive end Jabari Ishmael (10) and defensive tackle Allen Haye (11).
Freshman defensive tackle Leonard Taylor played 30 snaps and PFF ranked him Miami’s fifth-best defender on Saturday, behind James Williams, Waymon Steed, Jalen Harrell (10 snaps) and Tirek Austin-Cave (10 snaps).
Freshmen can play in four games and still redshirt.
▪ One major donor, upset about the state of the football program, met with a high level Board of Trustee member last week but came away not expecting any major shake-up in athletics. The donor declined to speak on the record.
▪ ESPN’s Desmond Howard, a South Florida resident and Heisman Trophy winner, was the latest to chime in on the state of the Canes last weekend, before the blowout of Central Connecticut.
“When I watch the Hurricanes play, there’s such a lack of effort out there by guys,” he said.
“I’m not just talking a lack of basic effort — I’m talking about championship effort. It’s almost like these guys show up in Coral Gables and they just think that because this program is historically a strong program, that they’re going to be the Canes and be The U. It seems like they’re more about the symbolism than substance.
“Things like the Turnover Chain. That was really cool for about 1 ½ years. After that, you guys have got to get out there and start playing ball again and win games. It’s so much about symbolism than substance, and they’re not living up to the exceptions based on their stars, whether they’re four stars or five stars in their recruiting classes.”
This story was originally published September 28, 2021 at 6:34 PM.
