UM coaches update running back, offensive line and tight end, including a position change
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Tuesday, after interview sessions with offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, tight ends coach Stephen Field and running backs coach Kevin Smith:
▪ Over the course of his career at UM, D.J. Scaife has been a better guard than tackle. He played guard all of 2021 and Pro Football Focus rated him the 33rd best of 537 qualifying FBS guards last season.
But because of a need at the position, UM has moved him to right tackle and he will remain there at least throughout spring practice. This summer, after John Campbell and Jalen Rivers return from last season’s knee surgeries, coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal will decide whether to leave Scaife at tackle or move him back to guard.
“He’s a guy who has been awesome since he’s been out here,” Mirabal said. “He’s a tremendous listener. You can tell DJ something in the classroom and immediately he’ll put that into action on the field. To me, that’s a gift. He’s proving he can play right tackle at a high level. We’re going to keep him there for a while.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by him. Once Campbell comes back and Rivers comes back” a decision will be made on Scaife’s 2022 position.
▪ Jakai Clark is a heavy front-runner to keep his starting job at center.
“In my opinion I think Jakai can be one of the upper echelon centers in the ACC,” Mirabal said. “It’s my job to keep helping him get better. … I think he’s a heck of a football player. It’s hard to find that guy, a center. He’s got the ability to be special.”
Second-year players Laurance Seymore and Ryan Rodriguez are getting snaps behind Clark at center.
Logan Sagapolu, the interior lineman who transferred from Oregon, hasn’t taken a single snap at center. He’s working entirely at guard, mostly with the second team.
The rest of the first team offensive line this spring, besides Scaife and Clark: Zion Nelson at left tackle, Ousman Traore at left guard and Justice Oluwaseun at right guard.
Nelson, who bypassed the NFL Draft, has impressed Mirabal.
“He looks like a Greek god the way he’s built,” Mirabal said. “He’s built his body up, came in at a lighter weight. Has unbelievable feet. As an offensive tackle, everyone wants guys 6-6, 6-7. But he has feet. He’s been blessed with that. He’s quiet, but he’s a hard worker.”
Rivers was the starting left guard last season before a knee injury ended his season after three games. If Rivers doesn’t move to tackle, he will try to wrest the left guard job from Traore in August. Either way, Rivers figures to start somewhere on this line.
If Campbell wins the right tackle job in August, then Scaife could move back to guard.
“Our job is to play the best five guys,” Mirabal said.
The Canes lost Navaughn Donaldson and Jarrid Williams, two of their best linemen, from last year’s team. Neither has any college eligibility remaining.
▪ New running backs coach Kevin Smith knows UM transfer Henry Parrish Jr. intimately well, having coached Parrish the past two years at Mississippi.
Parrish, who averaged 5.1 yards on 162 carries with the Rebels, has been with the first team this spring.
Jaylan Knighton and Don Chaney Jr. aren’t fully participating because of wrist and knee injuries, and highly-touted freshman TreVonte’ Citizen hasn’t enrolled yet.
Smith said Parrish is “a really talented player. He can play in or out of the box. He’s very diverse, can run routes like a receiver. He has elite feet and elite eyes. He’s a big addition to this program and the running backs room.”
Second-year backs Thad Franklin and Cody Brown are the only other scholarship backs participating in spring practice.
“Thad is really good,” Smith said. “He has a natural great feel for the inside and outside lane that we’ve installed so far. He’s a bigger guy; he’s been right on pace where we’re asking him to be. Thad loves football, has a great personality. He has a good skill set.”
Brown missed practice Tuesday but is expected back later this week.
▪ Smith cannot fully judge Knighton (who averaged 3.9 per carry last season) and Chaney (4.6 average on 79 career carries) until he sees them when they’re back to full strength this summer.
Smith said Knighton “is learning, is in his playbook. He’s a part of what we’re trying to do culture-wise and is quietly growing into a leader by the things he’s doing on and off the field.”
Citizen has a legitimate chance to claim a spot in the rotation as a freshman.
“He has talent when you watch his tape,” Smith said. “He’s a big kid who can run, understands the game. It’s difficult to come in as a freshman, and it makes it more difficult when you come in the summer. His mental makeup, he’ll come in and put his best foot forward.”
▪ Field, the only on-field assistant coach retained from Manny Diaz’s staff, likes what he has seen from freshman Jaleel Skinner, who was rated by Rivals as the No. 2 tight end and No. 136 player in the 2022 class.
“Just his athleticism, he’s able to stretch the field,” Field said. “Very intelligent young man. He’s doing a great job.”
Skinner and second-year player Elijah Arroyo are competing to back up Will Mallory, and that competition should be fascinating.
“Arroyo is improving every single day,” Field said. “It’s all about hard work and culture here, doing things the right way, and he fits right into that category. He’s somebody that’s going to be really, really positive for us.”
Both Arroyo and Skinner are skilled receivers, but both need to continue to build strength because this offense expects tight ends to block effectively. New offensive coordinator Josh Gattis used a lot of two tight end sets at Michigan.
“We have an H position and Y position - physical-wise we’re making sure their structure and strength matches what we need them to perform at,” Field said when asked about Arroyo and Skinner.
▪ Mallory, who has dealt with shoulder issues for well over a year (including surgery last year), came on strong to close last season, finishing with 30 catches for 347 yards.
“Will is an unbelievable young man on and off the field,” Field said. “Just continue to work on his craft and he’ll be very successful.”
Second-year player Khalil Brantley and Dominic Mammarelli - who made a good catch on Tuesday - also hope to crack the rotation.
