55 Days to Miami Football: Shaq Quarterman 2018 Preview
Shaq Quarterman has made an impact on the Miami football program since arriving in Coral Gables as a Freshman in 2016. He was a part of Head Coach Mark Richt’s first recruiting class that same year. Quarterman has started every game in his Miami career.
Quarterman is a part of an extraordinary Miami linebacking corps. Quarterman, Michael Pinckney and Zach McCloud have all started every game at linebacker for the Miami Football team over the last two seasons. The three of them starting every game could be unprecedented in the history of college football.
Richt posed the question in 2016 if there had ever been an all Freshmen linebacking corps. Quarterman and Pinckney along with wide receiver Ahmmon Richards were named True Freshmen All-Americans by ESPN after the 2016 season.
Quarterman has been second on the Miami Football team in tackles in each of his first two seasons. He was the top linebacker on the All-ACC second team in 2017.
Quarterman should make a push to be an All-American this season. Athlon Sports named Quarterman to their third-team and UPI to its second-team All-American. Quarterman was named to Athlon’s First-team preseason All-ACC. He is one of five Miami Hurricanes named preseason All-ACC by Athlon.
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Quarterman should be the leader of the Miami defense in 2018 with Senior safety Jaquan Johnson. Johnson is one of at least five Senior starters on the Miami defense.
There has been a lot of projections on which if any of the outstanding Juniors on the Hurricanes defense could leave after this season. Quarterman, Pinckney and defensive end Joe Jackson are all possibilities. It would not be shocking for McCloud to leave if both Quarterman and Pinckney chose to do so.
Quarterman was named the best active player to wearing number 55 in all of college football by Hero Sports. Quarterman was the second Miami player to receive that honor. Miami wide receiver Ahmmon Richards was named the best number 82 nationally by Hero Sports.
Richt appeared on the Joe Rose Morning Show in April and spoke about what makes Quarterman and Pinckney so successful.
"“If you just watched Shaq and Pinckney in the scrimmage, they see the target, they know what to do, and they get there so fast with a nasty attitude that it is unbelievable.They just love football. They played that spring game like it was for the National Championship. It was unbelievable. Just the sheer hustle has been pretty amazing from those two in particular.”"
Under Manny Diaz the last two seasons, the Miami defense has seen a lot of improvement. That should continue this season. Nine or ten of the Hurricanes starters defensively will be either Juniors or Seniors. That experience should help a lot.
Next: 55 Days to Miami football: Navaughn Donaldson 2018 Preview
Miami has also seen talent upgrades throughout their roster. The defense has added talent at every position since Richt took over. That should begin to show even more this season. Depth is improving for the Miami football team.