CORAL GABLES – There is a first time for everything.
For Day/Night 1 of fall practice, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz allowed the media to watch the entire opening salvo take place. It was a nice change of pace from what usually happens at practice, with media only being allowed to view a small portion of it for the most part.
The first and third hours of practice were held outdoors at the Greentree Practice Facility, while the second hour was held at the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility. This change in the middle of practice was made possible by the lightning that took place close to 8 p.m. in the evening.
Here are some takeaways from Day/Night 1:
DEFENSIVE BACKS IN GOOD SHAPE
-Local standout safeties Amari Carter and Gurvan Hall looked like starters out there on the practice field. For the most part, they held their own in coverage, as the two
of them consistently prevented the opposing man from gaining any chance to make a play.
There exists a healthy level of competition for the two starting safety positions. But one should not be surprised if Carter and Hall secure the top two spots by the time Miami is set to play Florida on Saturday, Aug. 24 (Camping World Stadium in Orlando; 7 p.m. kickoff).
At the same time, it wouldn’t be a surprise if only one of them or neither of them earn the starting safety spots. Bubba Bolden (USC transfer) and Keontra Smith (incoming freshman) smell a grand opportunity themselves, so expect them all to practice relatively well in these next several days ahead.
The safeties and cornerbacks were spotted in positional drill sessions during the inside portion of last night’s practice. They were coached up by Hurricanes cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph, who is a Delray Beach native, Atlantic alum, UM alum, former NFL cornerback, and former American Heritage (Plantation) head coach.
HURRICANES SING GARVIN’S PRAISES
On Friday afternoon, Miami junior defensive end Jonathan Garvin (Lake Worth alum) was selected for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List. He’s one of 40 college football players that were picked for the prestigious honor.
In Garvin’s sophomore campaign, he started all 13 games and recorded 60 tackles, to go with 17 tackles for loss (fourth in ACC), 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and a touchdown. For his efforts, the local standout has also been named to the Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List.
But more importantly, Garvin was lauded as the ultimate “Iron Cane” workout warrior this summer by Diaz and some of his own teammates, including senior linebacker, team leader, and Preseason All-American Shaquille Quartermann.
“It’s something he takes a lot of pride in,” the Miami (Fla.) head coach said.
Carter, running back DeeJay Dallas, and tight end Brevin Jordan were also among the summer workout standouts mentioned by Diaz.
This matters a lot because it’s a testament to the level of dedication and effort these players put into the weight room. Coaches expect this to translate well onto the practice field and in games.
ZACH MCCLOUD’S LAST FIRST FALL PRACTICE
Miami senior linebacker Zach McCloud will forever be remembered as part of the famed trio of himself, Quartermann, and fellow Preseason All-American Michael Pinckney. No matter what happens next, McCloud will never forget about the honor he received as a Wuerffel Trophy Watch List recipient.
The Santaluces alum earned this distinction on Thursday (July 25) for his off-field efforts in the arena of community service.
An active member of the Miami’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), McCloud has played an important role in organizing and orchestrating community services events for Miami student-athletes across all sports.
In 2018-19, he served as the community service & campus engagement coordinator for SAAC.
Also notable is that his on-field leadership efforts have parlayed into an impressive collegiate career, as McCloud has been a starter for 31 games in three years as a key linebacker. In 36 total games, McCloud has registered 129 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss (44 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss last season).
With all that said, McCloud was spotted in a series of 11-on-11 plays at linebacker and in positional drills.
For the most part, he asserted himself well, as he now appears to have fully recovered from a wrist injury he suffered this past spring.
HURRICANES PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Day 2: Saturday, July 27 – 7 p.m.
Day 3: Sunday, July 28 – 7 p.m.
NOTE: Only a small portion of these practices will be available for media members to view. They won’t be open to the public at Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility.
