Several Miami Football players have been pleasant surprises this spring
Several Miami football players have shown improvement this spring according to Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz. Diaz gave some insight on the Joe Rose Show on WQAM on Monday morning.
With competition to be the Miami football team’s starting quarterback getting most of the attention during spring football, several Hurricanes players have shown tremendous improvement since the end of the 2018 season. Players at several positions on offense and defense are ready for more playing time in 2019.
“The wide receivers in Miami’s 2018 recruiting class were highly praised coming out of high school. The Hurricanes signed three four-star wide receivers in 2018 and one three-star. None of them made a big impact as Freshmen.
Mark Pope was the highest rated of the four-man group. Pope was a consensus four-star receiver according to 247Sports and rate five stars by Rivals. He had one reception for 11 yards in 2018. Pope has shown big-play ability this spring that he didn’t get much of a chance to flash in 2018.
He could be one of the surprise players for the Miami football team in 2018. Pope’s play this spring puts him in the mix to be one of the Hurricanes wide receivers to get on the field on passing downs behind the Hurricanes starters at wide receiver. K.J. Osborn, Jeff Thomas and Mike Harley are the expected starters.
Diaz spoke about Pope’s big plays this spring and a few other Hurricanes who have surprised with the improvement they have made since the end of the 2018 season.
"“Right before halftime Mark catches a dig route and takes it 52 yards to the house. And this past week we go back to practice and it’s just like a different guy. He’s catching balls.Thursday he’s just got a different pep in his step and all of a sudden you’re like, ‘Man, who’s this kid?’ It didn’t look like the same guy…as last year. …These guys gotta learn and they gotta make a play to give them the real confidence that they can do it.”"
Miami’s offensive line has struggled this spring with a lot of players in new positions. Sophomore DJ Scaife was moved from right to left tackle. Scaife has also seen time at left guard. Injuries on the offensive line have caused a lot of movement. Diaz likes Scaife’s play this spring. “Really, really nice job on the offensive line’’
The Miami secondary is talented but young. Cornerback Trajan Bandy is the only returning starter. Diaz has been impressed with the play of rising sophomore Gurvan Hall at safety. “He is “a young guy that we think has got a lot, a lot of promise. He’s really put a foot wrong in terms of just his defense and where he goes.’’
Rising Sophomore D.J. Ivey was also singled out by Diaz. Ivey is battling with his classmates Nigel Bethel and Al Blades junior to be the starter at cornerback opposite Bandy. Miami lost two-year starters Michael Jackson at cornerback and Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine at safety.