Cristobal addresses where help is needed and who has impressed. And UM personnel notes
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Thursday:
▪ The Hurricanes believe they still must upgrade their personnel, and Mario Cristobal isn’t reluctant to admit it.
When asked by the Miami Herald on Thursday what the Canes are targeting in the portal among inside linebacker, edge players and defensive tackles and where there remains a need for help, Cristobal said:
“Everything. We need to get better on our entire team, us as coaches, players, an organization, we’ve got to get better. The level of physicality in the front seven and the offensive line and tight end box have got to be elevated. Part of it is depth, part strength and conditioning, part is practice, part is technical and fundamentals.
“And it ends in mentality. We have to establish a mentality and an identity by the way we practice and the way we play. Those positions, we’re never going to stop trying to add pieces. We’re looking for explosive guys that play with a ton of physicality and have an edge to them.”
UM already has added three front seven players in the transfer portal — Southern Cal end/tackle Jacob Lichtenstein, UAB tackle Antonio Moultrie and UCLA edge player Mitchell Agude — and they’re on the look out for more.
This week, the Canes hosted Jacksonville State defensive end D.J. Coleman, and Coleman has been awaiting word on whether UM will offer him a scholarship. He had nine sacks in 2020 and three in 2021.
This weekend, per 247 Sports, UM will host coveted West Virginia defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor, who had five sacks as a freshman in 2020 and 4.5 in 2021. Tennessee, Auburn and USC are among other schools pursuing him.
UM also is expected to explore the transfer market for another linebacker or two.
▪ This weekend, UM also is hosting USC kicker Parker Lewis, who’s in the portal. He was 17 for 22 on field goals last season and 23 for 24 on extra points. He led the Pacific-12 in field goals made in 2021.
If he signs with UM, he would compete with second-year kicker Andres Borregales, who was 17 for 21 on field goals and 45 for 45 on extra points.
But Borregales missed a 33-yard field goal that would have given UM a win against Virginia last season, and Lewis is believed to have a stronger leg on kickoffs.
▪ Cristobal raved about guard Jalen Rivers, who’s working his way back from knee surgery last fall.
“He’s a big, physical, athletic tough guy,” Cristobal said. “He takes about 75 percent of the reps. He’s been excellent. We’re looking forward to him when he’s really cleared. We’re being a little bit on the conservative side even if though he has been fully cleared.”
Zion Nelson, Jakai Clark and DJ Scaife are likely starters on the offensive line, and Rivers seemingly has an edge for another starting job. That leaves at least one starting job (perhaps two) genuinely open.
▪ Asked about non-skill position players who have impressed him, Cristobal said defensive end Chantz Williams has had a “great spring” and praised defensive end Jahfari Harvey, adding that Harvey “plays so hard. Even if his footwork isn’t perfect, he finds a way to become part of a play and impact it.”
He mentioned cornerback Al Blades Jr., safety/linebacker Gilbert Frierson and linebackers Corey Flagg Jr., Waymon Steed and Wesley Bissainthe as players who “have done a really good job.”
▪ All three quarterbacks — Tyler Van Dyke, Jake Garcia and newcomer Jacurri Brown — were very impressive Thursday. Garcia lofted a beautiful 20-yard pass for which wideout Michael Redding III jumped and brought down while being covered by James Williams and Frierson.
Earlier in the practice session, Van Dyke threw a perfectly placed deep ball that a sprinting slot receiver Xavier Restrepo grabbed with his left arm mid-stride before immediately securing it with the other.
In the opening portion of the media access period, the starting five offensive linemen were, left to right, Nelson, guard Justice Oluwaseun, Clark, guard Logan Sagapolu and Scaife.
Rivers was limited but did line up for some drills at left guard.
▪ Quick stuff: Defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte, defensive back Jalen Harrell and defensive lineman Elijah Roberts did not practice. Canesport reported that Harrison-Hunte has a foot infection “and will be fine.’’
We hear Harrell has a foot injury that was sustained in practice before spring break. Roberts was injured early in spring….
Players that wore red, noncontact jerseys Thursday included running backs Don Chaney Jr. and Jaylan Knighton, who both participated in drills. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) is still in a red jersey, as is second-year center Ryan Rodriguez…
Former Canes and New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and linebacker Leon Washington watched practice.
This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 2:02 PM.
