94 Days to Miami football: Defensive line coach Todd Stroud preview
Todd Stroud enters is in his first season as the defensive line coach for the Miami football program. Stroud is the most experienced and versatile coach on the Miami football staff.
Todd Stroud was an undersized nose guard at Florida State under legendary head coach Bobby Bowden. Stroud and Bowden caused a stir earlier this spring when they posed together flashing the U. Stroud joins the Miami football coaching staff as the most experienced coach on the Hurricanes.
Stroud began his coaching career as the defensive line coach at Central Florida in 1986. UCF was a Division II program in Stroud’s one year tenure in Orlando. Stroud has had stints at various schools in his 32-year career as a defensive line coach, strength coach and tight end and fullbacks coach.
Before taking the job as the Miami defensive line coach, Stroud was in the same position for the prior seven years at Akron under Bowden’s son Terry. Stroud was the head coach at Division II West Alabama from 1994-96. Head coach Manny Diaz and Stroud were on Chuck Amato’s staff at North Carolina State from 2000-05.
Stroud recognized Diaz’s future greatness when they coached together on the Wolfpack staff. The Seminoles alum told his wife in regards to Diaz that “He will make it and be a great head coach.” As the assistant head coach to Diaz for the Miami football program Stroud will have a big impact in making his prediction come true.
Stroud’s biggest task for 2019 is the development of the defensive tackles. Miami will have one of the deepest rotations in the country at defensive end. Developing the interior of the Hurricanes defensive line is critical for the success of the Miami defense in 2019. Starter
returns for the upcoming season.
The remainder of the defensive tackles are largely unproven. Graduate transfer Chogozie Nnoruka, rising junior Jon Ford and rising sophomore Nesta Silvera will all be in the rotation at defensive tackle for the Miami football team in 2019. Stroud is very high on the talent returning on the defensive line for Miami in 2019.
"“There’s two or three kids right now in the front, on the edge, Neo (Jonathan) Garvin is an exceptional talent. Scott Patchan is having a great spring as well. He’s obviously played a lot of football, so both those guys are veterans and they’ve played quite a bit. On the inside, Jon Ford … is having an exceptional spring.Obviously, he has a great body. He’s learning and he’s kind of embracing what we’re doing. He’s been phenomenal this spring…I think the biggest challenge you have is you look at the talent [and it’s] developing your two deep. We have some challenges there.We have some guys that need to get better and step up and we’ll have some new faces coming in this fall and we’ll find out where our depth plugs in there and do the best we can. But you have to be two deep in this league and you’ve got to be two deep because they’re all going to get an opportunity.They’re all going to play quite a bit, so your two deep is what’s really important. We can probably put one group out there that’s probably as good as anybody, but your two deep is where you win.”"
Next. New Miami DL Coach Todd Stroud overcame life threatening illiness. dark
Cultivating the depth and talent on the Miami defensive line, specifically, the interior is critical for the success of the Hurricanes defense in 2019. Stroud’s experience should make up for the loss of former DL coach Jess Simpson and the talent lost off the 2018 DL. Diaz’s defenses have proven the ability to attack.