Freshman cornerback Gilbert Frierson has mainly worked on the third team defense this fall as he continues to try to understand what it takes to be a Miami Hurricane, day in and day out.
“Camp’s going good. We working,” Frierson said. “I think I learned a little bit more coming in early (for spring), it helped me out.”
By coming in early during the spring, Frierson got a bit of a jump on some of the other freshmen corners like Al Blades and Nigel Bethel in terms of learning the defense. Frierson says he’s beginning to understand the defense to the point that he answers questions for Blades and Bethel.
“Yeah I show them. They know they can come to me if they need help with anything,” Frierson said. “At the end of the day, we all brothers and we’re here to help each other.”
That’s not to say Frierson is any type of expert in UM’s defense, though, and the coaches at UM relish the opportunity to remind the young guys of that. The staff puts together a blooper reel for the freshmen called “Welcome to College Football” and run the tape in team meetings sometimes. Frierson admits he’s made an appearance on the tape in the past.
“(Laughs) I showed up on a play during spring,” Frierson said. “It was a little tackle I had missed.”
To help the team cut down on those types of errors, the older corners at Miami are always staying on top of Frierson and others to make sure the young guys know and understand the concepts they’ll be running.
“I think we’re coming together good,” Frierson said on the corners. “The older guys, Mike Jack (Michael Jackson), Trajan (Bandy), (Jhavonte) Dean, they stay on us a lot. So, with them on top of us, it makes us want to work and contribute.”
How has he felt working in the scrimmages?
“It went well,” Frierson said. “Overall, still have a lot to improve on and meet my expectations: playing hard every play, getting to the ball, jumping on the pile.”
Adjusting to a higher level of competition is always something a freshman must endure, but Frierson says the receivers at Miami are much more advanced than he ever expected.
“I’m going to be honest, we’ve got all types of receivers, and all of them are tough,” Frierson said. “Because they give you a different game. You’ve got Ahmmon (Richards) that’s an older guy that’s been here, he’s advanced, (Lawrence) Cager’s advanced. Even the freshmen, they’re doing some things that I’m not used to. They all give us work, all the receivers are very good, talented. They work hard too, so we just make each other better.”
To begin the season, it appears as if UM is favoring the veteran corners to get the start against LSU week 1. However, it is Frierson’s goal to be starting by the end of the season and he believes he’s taken steps towards that this fall.
“I hope so, I’m working for that,” Frierson said on starting. “At the end of the day, I trust in the coaches and I believe if it’s right, it’ll happen. If not, I'll just believe in the process.”
What do the coaches tell him he has to do to reach that level?
“Right now, they tell me to work hard, know my plays, and my time will come.”
“Camp’s going good. We working,” Frierson said. “I think I learned a little bit more coming in early (for spring), it helped me out.”
By coming in early during the spring, Frierson got a bit of a jump on some of the other freshmen corners like Al Blades and Nigel Bethel in terms of learning the defense. Frierson says he’s beginning to understand the defense to the point that he answers questions for Blades and Bethel.
“Yeah I show them. They know they can come to me if they need help with anything,” Frierson said. “At the end of the day, we all brothers and we’re here to help each other.”
That’s not to say Frierson is any type of expert in UM’s defense, though, and the coaches at UM relish the opportunity to remind the young guys of that. The staff puts together a blooper reel for the freshmen called “Welcome to College Football” and run the tape in team meetings sometimes. Frierson admits he’s made an appearance on the tape in the past.
“(Laughs) I showed up on a play during spring,” Frierson said. “It was a little tackle I had missed.”
To help the team cut down on those types of errors, the older corners at Miami are always staying on top of Frierson and others to make sure the young guys know and understand the concepts they’ll be running.
“I think we’re coming together good,” Frierson said on the corners. “The older guys, Mike Jack (Michael Jackson), Trajan (Bandy), (Jhavonte) Dean, they stay on us a lot. So, with them on top of us, it makes us want to work and contribute.”
How has he felt working in the scrimmages?
“It went well,” Frierson said. “Overall, still have a lot to improve on and meet my expectations: playing hard every play, getting to the ball, jumping on the pile.”
Adjusting to a higher level of competition is always something a freshman must endure, but Frierson says the receivers at Miami are much more advanced than he ever expected.
“I’m going to be honest, we’ve got all types of receivers, and all of them are tough,” Frierson said. “Because they give you a different game. You’ve got Ahmmon (Richards) that’s an older guy that’s been here, he’s advanced, (Lawrence) Cager’s advanced. Even the freshmen, they’re doing some things that I’m not used to. They all give us work, all the receivers are very good, talented. They work hard too, so we just make each other better.”
To begin the season, it appears as if UM is favoring the veteran corners to get the start against LSU week 1. However, it is Frierson’s goal to be starting by the end of the season and he believes he’s taken steps towards that this fall.
“I hope so, I’m working for that,” Frierson said on starting. “At the end of the day, I trust in the coaches and I believe if it’s right, it’ll happen. If not, I'll just believe in the process.”
What do the coaches tell him he has to do to reach that level?
“Right now, they tell me to work hard, know my plays, and my time will come.”
