Miami football beginning to recruit players to play striker
The striker position for the Miami football team was created during spring practice in 2018 to create more playing time for an abundance of safeties. Strikers currently on the Miami roster have been moved from defensive back.
As the striker position evolves on defense, the Miami football program is beginning to recruit players for the position. Romeo Finley was the first striker for Miami. Finley switched from safety to striker during spring practice in 2018. Finley started 16 games at striker over the past two seasons with 12 starts in 2019.
Finley had 28 tackles, five tackles for loss, two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, four pass breakups and a forced fumble as a junior in 2018. Striker initially shared time with the strongside linebacker in the Miami defense. Striker developed into a full-time position in 2019.
Zach McCloud who was previously the starting SLB for Miami from 2016-18 redshirted in 2019 with his playing time diminished. McCloud returns in 2020 after playing four games last season and is projected as the starting middle LB. Finley nearly doubled his production in tackles from 2018 to 2019.
Finley finished the 2019 season with 54 tackles, four TFLs, one interception and three PBUs. Gilbert Frierson is the heir apparent to Finley at striker. Frierson switched from CB to the safety-LB hybrid position that striker is during spring football in 2019. Keontra Smith was switched from safety to striker during the 2020 offseason.
"“I think as a defensive staff, we are deciphering what we want that striker body type of position to be and we can predicate our defense based on what his skill-set holds most. I think we could get a little bit deeper in that category with what we are looking for.”"
Baker discussed the strategy in recruiting for the striker position on a conference call with Miami beat reporters last week. Inside the U quoted the Hurricanes second-year defensive coordinator how they will look to add strikers in the future. One potential future striker Miami is recruiting is three-star Caden Fordham from Jacksonville.
Next. Moving Keontra Smith to striker helps Miami depth. dark
Fordham is considering Miami, Georgia Tech, Louisville, North Carolina State and Wake Forest. Miami is the only one of the five schools being considered by Fordham who is not listed as being warm towards on his 247Sports profile. There are not any crystal balls for Fordham to which school he could be leading towards.