A half dozen interesting developments early in UM spring practice and what they mean

The first two days of UM spring practice, and the comments that have followed, have given a glimpse into the most fascinating lineup battles.

A half dozen things that have crystallized, at least to an extent:

▪ If you’re looking for players that UM must get a read on this spring, there’s nobody more important — in our view — than linebacker Raul Aguirre and cornerback Jadais Richard.

Other than perhaps often-injured Chase Smith, the only proven linebackers on the roster are Francisco Mauigoa (out for the spring with injury) and Wesley Bissainthe. Aguirre has worked with the starters at middle linebacker in Mauioga’s absence, and UM must determine if he’s reliable enough for the No. 3 or 4 linebacker role this fall.

As a four-star 2023 prospect coming out of Fayetteville, Georgia, 247 Sports evaluator Chris Singleton said Aguirre had “very good instincts with the ability to read and react to make plays. He has some suddenness as well as plus closing speed. He has nice agility and footwork that enables him to sift through the traffic to make plays.”

If he shows those skills all spring, UM can feel a bit better about depth behind Mauigoa. Otherwise, the need for portal help at linebacker will only intensify.

Malik Bryant, Kaleb Spencer (who has moved over from safety, per 247) and Marcellius Pulliam are among other young linebackers who will get a long look.

Richard, meanwhile, must show whether he can be a top-three cornerback at UM — with Daryl Porter Jr. and Damari Brown (who is out for the spring with an injury). Richard’s play so far this week has been uneven.

He committed a penalty and gave up a TD on Wednesday after having some good moments Monday.

Last season, after transferring to UM from Vanderbilt, Richard allowed 11 of the 15 targets against him to be caught, for 160 yards.

“Jadais is going to be a dude,” Porter said. “A 6-2 long corner, I feel he has all the tools to be the next great one on the other side of me.”

If Richard proves reliable and effective this spring, there won’t be a red alert to sign a starting cornerback in the portal. If he struggles, UM will badly need to add a proven starter at the position.

▪ The battle for receiver jobs 3, 4 and 5 will be fascinating.

Though Isaiah Horton was impressive against Texas A&M (with a 52-yard catch) and should be in the rotation, don’t assume he will be No. 3. Freshmen JoJo Trader and Ny Carr and second-year players Ray-Ray Joseph and Robby Washington will push him.

Trader has impressed everyone through two days of camp, beating Porter Jr. and others on long passing plays.

“He’s doing exactly what I thought he’d do — go out, make plays,” top UM receiver Xavier Restrepo said of Trader.

▪ The left guard job appears to be a three-way battle, with one wild card in the competition to replace NFL-bound Javion Cohen.

Samson Okonlula (rated the No. 1 tackle prospect in the 2023 class) took a lot of first-team snaps at left guard on Monday, and Luis Cristobal — who started in the Pinstripe Bowl - worked with the starters on Wednesday.

Matthew McCoy, who has been needed at right tackle in Francis Mauigoa’s absence this spring, might be the best option for the left guard job.

Tommy Kinsler cannot be ruled out.

There’s also the wild card — probably less than 25 percent — that left tackle Jalen Rivers could move to left guard if another starting tackle emerges, such as junior college transfer Markel Bell. Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal assuredly will be asked about this when he speaks with reporters later this spring.

Starting right guard Anez Cooper said of Bell: “I feel like he’s going to be good. He’s very long, he’s learning fast, very smart. So I feel like if we keep on teaching him he can come along very well.”

Kinsler and Bell were the No. 2 tackles on Wednesday, behind Rivers and Okunlola.

Former starting left tackle Zion Nelson would be an option if he were healthy, but he’s still not healthy after two years of knee problems and will miss spring ball. He has played just 61 snaps the past two years.

▪ Transfers generally are not handed starting jobs if other veterans were already here, so it’s not shocking that CJ Clark (the North Carolina State transfer) and Marley Cook (the Middle Tennessee transfer) were working with the second team at defensive tackle behind starters Jared Harrison-Hunte and Thomas Gore this week.

But it would be surprising if Gore is starting ahead of Clark or Cook when the Canes play Aug. 31 at the Gators.

“CJ and Marley, they add what we needed,” Cooper said, speaking in general of those two. “They will play their role very well. They will be very good in this season.”

Cook squatted a UM-record 700 pounds this spring; Cooper said: “He’s very explosive. I wasn’t even surprised, because the way he gets off the ball, he’s very explosive. A guy like that, he isn’t the tallest guy but he’s stocky. You have to get low on him.”

Joshua Horton will compete for snaps at tackle as well, though he’s missing at least part of spring ball due to injury.

▪ The battle to back up Elijah Arroyo at tight end will be interesting. Riley Williams enters as the front-runner (with Cam McCormick available as a blocker when he returns from injury this summer), but don’t discount impressive freshman early enrollee Elija Lofton, the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman grad who had a long TD catch on Wednesday.

▪ Talented early enrollee Zaquan Patterson seemingly will get every chance to win the starting safety job opposite Washington transfer Mishael Powell.

“He could be another Kam Kinchens,” recruiting analyst Larry Blustein said of Patterson, the Hollywood Chaminade Madonna product who was rated by 247 Sports as the No. 4 safety and No. 63 overall player in the 2024 class. “He’s physical, versatile, can play the run, can drop back in pass coverage.”

Veteran transfers Savion Riley (Vanderbilt) and Isaiah Taylor (Arizona) also will get a chance.

And Markeith Williams and Jaden Harris also should get a look. Brian Balom could return at some point this spring, but early enrollee safety Isaiah Thomas is out for the spring.

QUICK STUFF

Cooper said of new center Zach Carpenter, the Indiana transfer: “Zach is going to be very good. Zach is smart. I feel it wasn’t real a drop-off [from NFL-bound Matt Lee]. Zach coming in can take over the center role very well.”

▪ UM will hold its third spring practice on Friday, then take a week off with school on hiatus for spring break, then resume practice the next week.

Miami Herald sports writer Susan Miller Degnan contributed to this report.