Miami Hurricanes projected 2020 linebacker depth chart
For the first time in four seasons, the Miami Hurricanes have to rebuild their linebacking corps. The graduations of Shaq Quarterman and Michael Pinckney means two new starters in the middle of the defense for the first time since 2016.
The redshirt of senior linebacker Zach McCloud is critical for the Miami Hurricanes in 2020. The graduations of Shaq Quarterman and Michael Pinckney have created an opportunity to start for McCloud and likely either sophomore Sam Brooks or redshirt freshman Avery Huff. Behind them, Miami is inexperienced at LB.
McCloud played four games in 2019 to maintain a redshirt season and play in 2020. The decision to redshirt by McCloud was made after he had played in three games last season. McCloud was going to save the fourth game to play in the Miami Hurricanes bowl game for one final game with Quarterman and Pinckney.
When Pinckney missed the Pittsburgh game with an injury, McCloud started in his place. That was the fourth and final game of the season for McCloud. McCloud has 31 career starts in his Miami career at LB. The rest of the Hurricanes LB corps has one career start. Brooks started in the Independence Bowl with Pinckney out.
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After recording six tackles in seven previous games in 2019, Brooks had a big game in the Independence Bowl loss to Louisiana Tech. In his first career start, Brooks finished with 12 tackles on six solo stops and six assists with a half tackle for loss against the Bulldogs. That performance makes Brooks a favorite to start in 2020.
McCloud has 137 tackles, 13 TFLs, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble in his Miami career. In 2019 McCloud had eight tackles with five coming in the game against Pittsburgh. Miami enters the 2020 season extremely inexperienced at LB. The snaps Brooks played against Louisiana Tech should prove invaluable for 2020.
Brooks will battle his fellow 2019 signee Huff to start alongside McCloud in 2020. Huff was a four-star signee out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. Brooks was a three-star signee from Miami Northwestern. Huff was an academic redshirt in 2019. Behind McCloud, Brooks and Huff are question marks at LB.
Rising redshirt juniors Bradley Jennings Jr. and Waynmon Steed, redshirt freshman Patrick Joyner and true freshmen Tirek Austin-Cave and Corey Flagg will all compete to back up the primary rotation of McCloud, Brooks and Huff at LB. McCloud is a lock to start in the middle or the Mike LB position for Miami.
The weakside position will be a completion between Brooks as Huff as the starter. Austin-Cave and Steed are expected to compete to be the third team WLB. McCloud will be backed up by some combination of Joyner, Jennings and Flagg. Beyond Brooks, the remainder of the Miami LBs lack experience.
Also included in the Miami LB corps is the striker position. The striker was created in the Miami defense during the spring of 2018 as a way to take advantage of the safety depth. With Romeo Finley graduating following the 2019 season, redshirt sophomore Gilbert Frierson is ready to ascend to become the first team striker for Miami.
Next. Miami projected defensive end 2020 depth chart. dark
A former cornerback, Frierson had 15 tackles, two TFLs, three pass breakups and one interception in 2019. Frierson played in all 13 games in 2019 with one start. Sophomore Keontra Smith is expected to be the primary backup to Frierson at striker. Smith finished with two tackles mainly playing special teams in 2019.