Miami’s intense Matt Lee excelled with fire. ‘Chill’ Zach Carpenter? ‘Controlled rage’

Matt Lee, the fiery, outspoken, gravely voiced University of Miami center expected to begin his NFL career after next month’s draft, appears to have little in common with Zach Carpenter, the new Hurricanes transfer chosen to replace him.

Exhibit A: The video that went viral in October of a distraught Lee on the UM bench mouthing what appears to be “What the [expletive] are we doing?!” after Georgia Tech scored the last-second winning touchdown following a decision by coach Mario Cristobal and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson to not take a knee and instead run the ball on UM’s final offensive play.

Exhibit B: the recent introductory interview Miami beat writers had with Carpenter, a sixth-year senior who transferred from Indiana and is apparently a man of few words, but plenty of smiles.

How has it been acclimating to your new teammates?

“It’s been great. I really enjoy it. Yeah.’’

You seem quieter than Matt Lee. How is that reflected on the field?

“I try to be as calm as possible, stay in the moment. Sometimes you get caught up in emotions and and start screwing up so you’ve got to just focus and be the same player every day.’’

Would people like you to be more communicative or louder?

“Everybody has their own style of leadership.’’

You are quiet. Does a different kind of rage come out of you on game day?

“I’m super chill on game day. I mean it’s supposed to be fun. It’s a game. That’s why we do it.’’

Carpenter acknowledged he is playing at a violent spot on the field.

“It’s a controlled rage,’’ he said.

Carpenter, who wears No. 50 and is listed as 6-5 and 295 pounds, is from Cincinnati and signed with Michigan out of high school. He redshirted in 2019, was a reserve in 2020 and transferred to Indiana in 2021.

Indiana, 3-9 in 2023, finished the season ranked 68th nationally in sacks allowed, 99th in total offense (332.8 yards a game), 80th in passing offense (212.8), 102 in rushing (120.1) and 104th in scoring (22.2).

Per Pro Football Focus, Carpenter played 804 snaps last season and allowed 10 quarterback pressures in 445 pass blocking reps, third-best in the Big Ten. PFF gave him a 71.8 percent grade for pass-blocking and 61.0 run-blocking grade.

Carpenter spent part of 2022 playing guard after injuring his hand in September in pregame warmups for Western Kentucky. He learned to snap with his left hand, but now uses his dominant right hand. He seems thrilled about highly respected offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, and having head coach Cristobal, who won two national titles as a UM lineman, spending a good deal of practice with his position group.

“They’re both great coaches and always on you every day,’’ Carpenter said. “Really don’t have any choice but to get better.’’

Carpenter said he has “a lot of good memories’’ from Indiana, but “just needed a change of scenery.’’

“Miami is definitely that,’’ he said.

UM’s offensive line was considered among the best in the nation this past season. In addition to Lee’s departure, the Canes have lost left guard Javion Cohen. Right tackle Francis Mauigoa, an All-American freshman in 2023, is recuperating from offseason surgery during spring and will be back in the summer.

During spring, UM has been playing Luis Cristobal, Matthew McCoy and Samson Okunlola at left guard.

Right guard Anez Cooper is back, as is left tackle Jalen Rivers.

“I don’t want to compare the two,’’ Rivers said of Lee and Carpenter, “because they’re two different types of human beings. Matt came in and he was more, like, raunchy. Zach, he’s more calm and quiet, but he gets the job done. He’ll communicate, so that’s what we need, a leader.”

How is Miami different or better, if it is, than Indiana?

“Both schools have their pros and cons but I think here it’s more O-line focused for sure,’’ Carpenter said.

Quiet or not, Carpenter likes being boss. “You kind of run the show and that’s what I do best.’’

He’s been hanging out a good bit with another new transfer, heralded Washington State quarterback transfer Cam Ward.

“We’ve been snapping since Day 1,’’ Carpenter said. “But even of the field, we always hang out and go fishing. The fish are a lot bigger than the bass I’m used to catching.’’

As of last week, the two hadn’t caught a thing.

“Enjoying the weather,’’ Carpenter said.

Four-star commit

UM recently lost the services of top 2023 rusher Henry Parrish, who entered the transfer portal. This past weekend, four-star Seffner Armwood running back Girard Pringle Jr. announced his Class of 2025 commitment to the Hurricanes.

The Canes have a new running backs coach in Matt Merritt, who bonded with Pringle when he coached at USF and was recruiting him. The 5-10, 185-pound Pringle ran for 1,683 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior, per MaxPreps. He chose the Hurricanes over finalists Alabama and Georgia, though he had several other offers, including Florida, Auburn and Oklahoma. On3.com’s industry ranking has Pringle as the 38th best player in the state, regardless of position, and the No. 17 running back for 2025.

UM coaches nonetheless will look for a top running back this spring in the portal, so he can be available for 2024.