Although this is Jon Patke’s first season as an on-field position coach, he was technically part of Mark Richt’s original first staff at Miami. He was brought to Coral Gables along with safeties coach Ephraim Banda by defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, who all came from Mississippi State together. He spent the last two years working as a quality control analyst with the inside linebackers at UM before officially being promoted to the outside linebackers coach in February.
“You know, this is what you work for,” Patke said on his promotion. “I’ve been with coach Diaz for five years, so I really know what he likes and can kind of speak the same language he speaks. So, in terms of that, it’s the same. The differences are having your own room, being responsible for your guys, and then obviously on the road recruiting.”
Patke is only responsible for one player on the field at a time, yet his position has been one of the most talked about over the off-season. That’s because the Canes installed a brand new striker linebacker package into the defense and moved a few players down from safety into the hybrid role.
“Yeah, we kind of changed the name from SAM linebacker to striker. It’s just the way college football has been changing, everything is more spread out,” Patke said. “Zach (McCloud) is as athletic as they come for a 235 pound linebacker, but at times you need a guy that can cover sideline-to-sideline. So really, it’s an old school strong safety is how we look at it. He can roll down halfway, he’s playing zone, he’s playing man, he’s playing run, he can do it all. So yeah, we’re looking for a dynamic guy that really can run, that’s why we brought the two safeties down as bigger guys.”
The striker is expected to be a little quicker than the traditional SAM linebacker and has the responsibility of covering the opponent’s slot receiver, as well as being physical enough to shed blocks and make plays around the line. Patke is loving the competition so far and says two in particular are beginning to stand out after the team’s first fall scrimmage on Saturday.
“It’s going really good, we’ve got great competition finally,” Patke said on the competition at striker. “Zach is back, is starting to get reps there. It’s him and Romeo (Finley) that are really standing out right now. Derrick (Smith) is obviously in the mix after moving down there in the spring, and then you got De’Andre Wilder. I trust Romeo and Zach really after that first scrimmage with knowing what to do and knowing where to be.”
When the striker position was introduced back in spring ball, it was sophomore Derrick Smith that was mainly running with the first unit. What’s changed since then and what more does Patke need to see out of Smith?
“Derrick, he’s just so athletic, but mentally, we have to get him where he needs to be right now,” Patke said. “Get him up to speed where Zach and Romeo are at. But obviously Derrick is very dynamic in what he can do, as far as playing bump and run man, coming down from that safety position.”
As two safeties moving down into the box, both Finley and Smith are naturally a little smaller than your traditional linebacker. However, both have added 10-15 pounds over the off-season and Patke thinks they’re at the perfect size for what he expects out at striker.
“I’m comfortable right where they are. They’re both 215 pounds,” Patke said on Finley and Smith. “I think their weight will fluctuate a little bit, we eat so much at camp that they actually gain weight sometimes at camp, so I’m fine with that. But I’m comfortable with 215 pound guys out there. Until you get to a team that just wants to mash you, and then you go to the Zach’s and the Wilder’s.”
So, just how often can we expect to see the striker package over the traditional SAM in UM’s defense this season?
“It’s kind of based on their personnel, and what we’re rolling with, what we’re feeling coming into that game with our gameplan,” Patke said. “You know, is it going to be a Zach type of game or a Romeo and Derrick type of game? I really try to roll those guys to give them all the looks I can. I think it’ll be personnel-based first, and then more matchup-based.”
“You know, this is what you work for,” Patke said on his promotion. “I’ve been with coach Diaz for five years, so I really know what he likes and can kind of speak the same language he speaks. So, in terms of that, it’s the same. The differences are having your own room, being responsible for your guys, and then obviously on the road recruiting.”
Patke is only responsible for one player on the field at a time, yet his position has been one of the most talked about over the off-season. That’s because the Canes installed a brand new striker linebacker package into the defense and moved a few players down from safety into the hybrid role.
“Yeah, we kind of changed the name from SAM linebacker to striker. It’s just the way college football has been changing, everything is more spread out,” Patke said. “Zach (McCloud) is as athletic as they come for a 235 pound linebacker, but at times you need a guy that can cover sideline-to-sideline. So really, it’s an old school strong safety is how we look at it. He can roll down halfway, he’s playing zone, he’s playing man, he’s playing run, he can do it all. So yeah, we’re looking for a dynamic guy that really can run, that’s why we brought the two safeties down as bigger guys.”
The striker is expected to be a little quicker than the traditional SAM linebacker and has the responsibility of covering the opponent’s slot receiver, as well as being physical enough to shed blocks and make plays around the line. Patke is loving the competition so far and says two in particular are beginning to stand out after the team’s first fall scrimmage on Saturday.
“It’s going really good, we’ve got great competition finally,” Patke said on the competition at striker. “Zach is back, is starting to get reps there. It’s him and Romeo (Finley) that are really standing out right now. Derrick (Smith) is obviously in the mix after moving down there in the spring, and then you got De’Andre Wilder. I trust Romeo and Zach really after that first scrimmage with knowing what to do and knowing where to be.”
When the striker position was introduced back in spring ball, it was sophomore Derrick Smith that was mainly running with the first unit. What’s changed since then and what more does Patke need to see out of Smith?
“Derrick, he’s just so athletic, but mentally, we have to get him where he needs to be right now,” Patke said. “Get him up to speed where Zach and Romeo are at. But obviously Derrick is very dynamic in what he can do, as far as playing bump and run man, coming down from that safety position.”
As two safeties moving down into the box, both Finley and Smith are naturally a little smaller than your traditional linebacker. However, both have added 10-15 pounds over the off-season and Patke thinks they’re at the perfect size for what he expects out at striker.
“I’m comfortable right where they are. They’re both 215 pounds,” Patke said on Finley and Smith. “I think their weight will fluctuate a little bit, we eat so much at camp that they actually gain weight sometimes at camp, so I’m fine with that. But I’m comfortable with 215 pound guys out there. Until you get to a team that just wants to mash you, and then you go to the Zach’s and the Wilder’s.”
So, just how often can we expect to see the striker package over the traditional SAM in UM’s defense this season?
“It’s kind of based on their personnel, and what we’re rolling with, what we’re feeling coming into that game with our gameplan,” Patke said. “You know, is it going to be a Zach type of game or a Romeo and Derrick type of game? I really try to roll those guys to give them all the looks I can. I think it’ll be personnel-based first, and then more matchup-based.”
