Highsmith on why Canes fans should be encouraged. And nuggets from departing UM players

A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Monday:

▪ Alonzo Highsmith, who left his job as Miami Hurricanes football general manager to join the New England Patriots’ front office earlier this offseason, left UM on good terms with the coaches and administration and suggested he’s optimistic about the team’s future.

“These guys are ready to win,” he said during a conversation at UM’s Pro Day last week. “They want to compete and set their own legacy at Miami.

“You see the talent. We’ve got more talent. They understand it’s not going to be easy. They’ve got to show up and play. They’re all mature kids. They’re also following Mario [Cristobal’s] lead and the culture that’s set here. It’s about competition every day.”

Why should Canes fans feel hopeful?

“I think Canes fans should be happy because of the expectations by the players. The players expect to be good and that’s where it all starts. Me and you and fans can have expectations but no expectations can exceed what players think of themselves.”

He’s bullish on new UM quarterback Cam Ward.

“Ward is a different guy,” Highsmith said. “He’s brought a lot of humility and leadership to the program. We already know he’s a good quarterback, but I like the fact he’s a better human being than quarterback.”

He also likes how the lines have been addressed, with UM particularly skilled and deep at defensive end.

“You know coach [Alex] Mirabal will have the offensive line [playing well],” he said.

▪ NFL-bound defensive lineman Branson Deen, who spent a year at UM after transferring from Purdue, predicts second-year end Rueben Bain will be an NFL “starter right away” when he leaves the Canes in a couple years and will be a “double digit sack guy” in the NFL.

“He teaches me moves!” Deen said. “You don’t see freshmen that have” those advanced pass rush moves.

Deen, incidentally, encouraged North Carolina State transfer CJ Clark to pick UM during Clark’s visit to Coral Gables.

Deen told Clark that defensive line coaches Jason Taylor and Joe Salave’a “will bring the best out of you. JT is extremely humble. [But] if you challenge, he will say, ‘Guys, I know what the hell I’m talking about.’”

Clark has been working with the second team in practice but is a front-runner to start this fall.

▪ Safety Kam Kinchens is bullish on the future of safety Jaden Harris, who has received first-team work all spring.

“He’ll get better and better,” Kinchens assured.

“Him being with me for two years, learning how to watch film, learning how to be a good football player -- that’s all he needed,” Kinchens said. “He needed the confidence.

“He’s as professional as everybody else, but he kind of gets down on himself when he knows he’s not doing the things he’s capable of. So with him, it’s just understanding it’s not OK to mess up, but it’s OK not to be perfect and just stacking those good plays.

“I don’t expect him to jump out the gate, first game, and just catch five picks. But I know throughout the season he’s going to get better and better That’s all he needs; he just needs a little experience.

“All he needs is that one play just to show you he can do it. Me, all I needed was that Bethune Cookman pick. I made that one play and I thought to myself, ‘I can actually catch a pick in a game,’ and it was on from there. He just needs that one play just to show ‘I can hang with everybody.’ And he’s got what it takes.”

Kinchens said he has benefited from having a vast resource of former UM safeties to call, including Ed Reed and Kenny Phillips.

Incidentally, Kinchens said the Philadelphia Eagles required that he attempt three three-point basketball shots before his recent interview with them. He made two of the three.

▪ We hear NFL teams see former UM safety James Williams primarily as an outside linebacker. But two teams have conveyed they envision Williams being able to play inside and outside linebacker. Another said he could be a pseudo safety/outside linebacker.

Williams will meet with new Dolphins linebackers coach Joe Barry in a few weeks.

Several UM players will attend the Dolphins’ local day workout and dine with coaches the night before. That group includes Kinchens, Williams, Lee and Deen, among others.

The Dolphins also have shown interest in departing UM defensive tackle Leonard Taylor.

▪ After spending one season here, center Matt Lee encourages any offensive lineman who wants an NFL future to play for Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.

“They’re really good men,” Lee said. “They’re like fathers on the team. Mirabal is one of the best if not the best offensive line coaches in the country. If you want to get developed and have fun and play under a good scheme that will challenge you mentally,... those are your guys.”

Mirabal communicates effectively with players, and Lee said: “I credit his history as a high school teacher. Full credit to that. You go in the meeting room and it’s like you’re in class, the way he teaches, the way he tries to pick guys’ brains, the way he goes back and forth with you. If you’re disagreeing, it’s always about teaching and understanding. Everyone is going to respond differently to different teaching, and he does a great job of doing that.”

▪ Lee said Samson Okonlula - the nation’s top tackle in the 2023 recruiting class - would be well equipped to play guard, where he has worked some this spring.

“I think he can absolutely play guard,” Lee said. “Samson is 6-5, 6-6, 320, 325 and perfectly fine to play tackle, perfectly fine to play guard. He can probably play center; he has got long arms. If he stays at guard, he’s got quick feet, moves well in a small area. He’s a big, imposing guy. He moves around like a guy who might be a little smaller, a little lighter.”

Mirabal said UM still views Okunlola as a tackle long-term. But guard might be his fastest way to get on the field.