Cristobal addresses personnel issues, portal plan. And notes from Canes practice No. 3

Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal told WQAM’s Joe Rose on Friday that the Canes intend to add more players from the second transfer portal window in April.

“Absolutely, without a doubt,” Cristobal said. “We’ve done a really good job in continuing to upgrade the caliber of player and character and talent on the roster. And that’s not going to stop, because we’re not where we want to be yet. But there’s so much enthusiasm because we have gained a lot of ground.

“Spring football — let’s find out who can play, who can’t play and go from there make our decisions and go from there... NIL, if they’re really good, they’re going to make money.”

Twenty-six new players have arrived; 10 more have signed and will enroll in the months ahead.

Cristobal addressed other issues with Rose:

▪ Freshman receivers JoJo Trader and Ny Carr “have come in and shown they can make some plays,” Cristobal said. “Both really explosive, have great body control. When the ball is in the air, they can contort themselves and find a way to come up with it. They understand leverage, releases.

“They’ve been playing in 7-on-7 leagues forever, so they do the things you see on Sunday [in the NFL. But] those bodies have to develop.”

▪ On the situation at safety, where James Williams and Kam Kinchens needed to be replaced:

“Went in the portal, and both [Vanderbilt’s] Savion Riley and [Washington’s] Meesh Powell have been exceptional since they got here. They learned the system pretty quickly. Both of those guys played in complicated systems.”

As for the young safeties beyond freshman Zaquan Patterson: “Jaden Harris, he’s been here a couple years. It’s his time now. He’s a really good athlete, really smart, he’s tough. Markeith Williams has been here, Kaleb Spencer has been here for a year now. The competition and level of play there we’ve been very pleased with.”

▪ On defensive tackle, where NC State’s CJ Clark and Middle Tennessee’s Marley Cook were added to help replace Leonard Taylor III and Branson Deen:

Cristobal said the void at that position “had to be filled quickly. Those guys have to play right away. We found mature bodies in the portal, found some really talented guys in high school. They are being tutored by the best. Our strength and conditioning program is responsible for developing those bodies so they can play early.”

He said early enrollee defensive tackle Armando Blount “had a little issue with his shoulder. He’s going to be fine, will join us on the field a bit later in spring

“This is a guy who is early to everything, rounds up the freshmen, makes sure they are early. Hard worker, great grades, a tremendous ambassador to the program and he’s only been here a couple of months.”

Cristobal cracked that he told UM defensive line coach Jason Taylor that UM “had to get more guys that look like him.”

Cristobal said he FaceTimed on Thursday night with five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott, who will enroll at UM in the months ahead. “He took the whole screen,” Cristobal cracked of the 6-5, 310-pounder. “Russell Marylandish.”

▪ He said there’s great value in having the same coordinators back: “It’s huge for the system and staff. Looking for things you have to do [better]. What you have to throw out. When you have to reboot, it’s really difficult.”

▪ As he prepares for Season 3 in charge, Cristobal said: “This team continues to develop and get better. We have miles to go, but certainly have come miles. We’re excited about the way we’ve started.”

▪ Cristobal said more than 70 recruits were attending Friday’s practice and “we want them to watch us practice and coach, because we get after it.”

▪ Cristobal said tight end Elijah Arroyo, who has missed much of the past two seasons following a September 2022 knee injury, “looks like Elijah Arroyo again. He’s healthy, had a great offseason.

“You will like what you see out of him. When you reach a certain point of your college career, something clicks. It’s clicked for him; he’s had a great spring.”

He said early enrollee tight end Elija Lofton “has really stood out. He played everything at [Las Vegas] Bishop Gorman - special teams [too]. He’s 245, 250 pounds.”

Cristobal also said that second-year tight end Riley Williams has “taken another step. He’s gotten really big, in the 260 range.”

He said ninth-year tight end Cam McCormick “is nursing a couple of things but will join us full after spring break” while Jackson Carver continues to develop.

▪ Cristobal said quarterback Reese Poffenbarger, the Albany transfer, is “a relentless competitor like all these guys. All these guys in the room have become really, really accurate.”

PRACTICE NEWS

Some notes from Friday’s media viewing session of practice:

▪ During individual drills, Trader made a remarkable one-handed catch on a hard slant from Cam Ward. All five quarterbacks were standing next to each other, making throws, during that sequence.

▪ Luis Cristobal opened with the starters at left guard for the second time in three days of practice. Matthew McCoy continued to fill in for Francis Mauigoa at starting right tackle. Mauigoa is out for spring ball.

Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal told Rose that second-year player Samson Okunlola will play guard and tackle. He has been getting a look at left guard this week.

▪ Receiver Robby Washington went to the ground to catch a pass from Jacurri Brown and managed to stay in bounds. The other second-year receiver, Ray Ray Joseph, also had another good day.

▪ Lofton had another good day; he beat Zaquan Patterson on a TD throw from Brown. Lofton is pressing for the No. 2 tight end job.

▪ Jacolby George beat Jadais Richard for a reception on a pass from Ward.

▪ Thomas Gore and Jared Harrison-Hunte remained with the starters at defensive tackle.

▪ George was the first player to field punts, but Xavier Restrepo and Washington took punts, as well.

▪ Cornerback Myles Mooyoung, a walk-on from Chicago, got a lot of work in individual drills.