What Canes are seeking in transfer portal. And Shannon Dawson feedback, UM hoops notes
Canes #Canes
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Friday:
▪ UM coach Mario Cristobal expects to add another five to seven players in the transfer portal, and receiver isn’t the only target.
“You can never have enough defensive linemen and then experience at every position like a corner than can play in man coverage, a true nickel, a safety,” Cristobal told WQAM’s Joe Rose on Friday. “You are always looking at different positions, and you have to see how you come out from a health standpoint from spring football.”
UM needs a veteran safety to back up James Wiliams (who will miss spring ball after shoulder surgery) and Kamren Kinchens. Brian Balom is the most experienced third safety on the roster.
The Canes have four veteran corners: transfers Davonte Brown (UCF) and Terry Roberts (Iowa), Daryl Porter Jr. (in his second year at UM after moving over from West Virginia) and Te’Cory Couch.
Couch can play the slot in nickel packages but might be needed on the boundary if he beats out Brown, Roberts and Porter for one of those jobs when UM has only two cornerbacks on the field. (Teams typically have more than two corners on the field during modern college football.) Couch naturally can move into the slot in nickel and dime packages.
Beyond Williams, several Canes are expected to be limited in the spring because of injury. That group includes offensive lineman Zion Nelson, running back TreVonte’ Citizen and per Canesport.com, linebacker Corey Flagg and defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor.
▪ New offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Shannon Dawson has made a strong early impression on players, two players conveyed to close associates.
Some of the feedback: He’s got a lot of energy, he’s player friendly and doesn’t think he knows everything.
Josh Gattis, who was dismissed after one year as offensive coordinator, had a prickly relationship with some players and was resistant to taking suggestions from players (and at times, other coaches), according to two UM people on last year’s team.
Players have been learning Dawson’s playbook, which mixes Air Raid and spread concepts with evolved run concepts.
▪ Besides interviewing 49ers receiver former UM receiver Leonard Hankerson and Baltimore Ravens assistant receivers coach Keith Williams for the vacant wide receiver coach’s job — as reported exclusively by our Susan Miller Degnan — UM also has given some consideration to director of recruiting David Cooney, who has worked with receivers at UM in the past.
Cooney is well liked by players and has been instrumental in UM’s recruiting efforts.
Cristobal has opted to hire from outside this offseason, bypassing quarterback coach Frank Ponce for the offensive coordinator job and linebackers coach Charlie Strong for the defensive coordinator job.
Ponce left before Gattis’ dismissal, but it was clear he wasn’t going to get the OC job and took that same position at Applachian State, where he worked previously. Strong left after Cristobal hired Lance Guidry as defensive coordinator.
▪ Despite a 5-7 season, UM football increased season ticket prices by an average of 7 percent. The Canes’ football budget increased significantly last season with the hiring of Cristobal and a pricey staff, and attendance didn’t increase enough to offset those costs.
▪ Former UM quarterback Malik Rosier — who has coached freshman UM quarterback Emory Williams in Rosier’s role as Florida director for Quarterback Country — said “the biggest thing about Emory is he’s not going to wow you — I don’t mean this in a bad way — he’s not going to throw it 95 yards or run a 4.4, but he understands the game, how to play, how to lead.
“The thing he really brings is pure quarterback ability — he’s tough as hell, can make every throw, will do little things right to win. He understands how to win.
“The kid is athletic and that’s a good bonus. I don’t see him being being a big rusher but he can run for a first down” when you need it..
Williams is already enrolled and learning Dawson’s playbook.
▪ Some men’s basketball notes notes: As WQAM’s Joe Zagacki noted, Norchad Omier is one of one three players in the country averaging at least 14 points per game, 9.5 rebounds and shooting 59 percent. As coach Jim Larranaga noted, Omier leads the ACC in field-goal percentage and is in the top three in rebounding.
“He’s the greatest teammate you can ever want. Guys on the team love being around him,” Larranaga said…
And, as Zagacki also noted, only two other players in the nation — besides UM’s Jordan Miller — who are are averaging at least 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and a steal per game. “I told him this [past summer] we’re going to expand your role,” Larranaga said. “Everything he does, he does well. He doesn’t show any limitations.”…
Larranaga said he believes Isaiah Wong, Nijel Pack, Jordan Miller and Omier will all get strong consideration for all-ACC. “They have had great seasons.”…
UM — which leads the Atlantic Coast Conference at 14-4 — will try to push its home record to 16-0 and overall record to 23-5 if its beats FSU at 4 p.m. Saturday in Coral Gables on ESPN2.
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