Miami Hurricanes outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Jonathan Patke mainly works with the strikers on defense, the spot where UM moved sophomore Keontra Smith in the spring after he played safety in 2019.
“Keontra has done a heck of a job, is really coming along,” Patke said. “We think of him as an older guy almost with Romeo (Finley) being the guy the last few years. He’s a coach-pleaser, hard-worker, head down, will do everything it takes to be a great player.”
Smith was working with the twos in spring, while redshirt sophomore Gilbert Frierson took the departed Finley’s spot on the first unit.
“Gilbert’s smart, can line up the entire defense,” Patke said. “Coming from corner a year ago, he knows corner, safety and striker, understands the defense, what we’re trying to do. He’s the old guy in that room and is very cerebral when it comes to football.”
While Frierson is the more experienced player at the position, Patke mentioned that there is still an open competition between Frierson and Smith for the starting job. Former walk-on Ryan Ragone, who earned a scholarship last week, is working on the third team at striker.
"I think [Smith and Frierson] are similar," Patke said. "They are both smart, they are both physical. When we signed Keontra out of high school, we knew how physical he was as a great tackler. He played a lot in the box and played the striker position in high school a lot. He is very used to what we ask him to do and Gilbert brings a year under his belt to the table. They bring some different things to the table, but they are similar in some sorts. Gilbert is a little taller. It is going to be fun to watch during this camp to see who is going to take that job over and obviously we want to play multiple people, but I want to see them battle it out."
Turning towards special teams, after the Canes’ well-documented struggles in the kicking game during 2019, the kicking job in 2020 will go to FIU redshirt senior transfer Jose Borregales, who hit on multiple 50+ yard field goals to help FIU upset the Hurricanes last season. A Lou Groza Award finalist for the nation’s top kicker in 2018, Borregales is 50-66 (76%) on FG’s in his 3-year career, including a 131-134 (98%) mark on extra points. Borregales is also known for his strong leg from deep, connecting on 13-16 (81%) from 40-49 yards out, and 4-6 (67%) from 50+ yards out in his career. His arrival will instantly improve Miami’s kicking woes in 2020 according to Patke.
“Adding an older guy that’s played in a lot of football, has kicked at a high level going into his fifth year, I am definitely confident in the guy’s talent,” Patke said of Borregales. “We need to see him do it in a game, but today at practice we saw him make a 52-yarder that would have been good from 60. He has all the talent and I am amazed to watch him work. He carries himself like a pro, like a veteran, and guys respect him. That makes our whole team better, has us more confident to have the field goal team trot out there and expect points.”
Redshirt junior punter Louis Hedley ended up being a revelation in his first season with the Canes in 2019, taking a punting game that had finished last in the ACC in yards per punt for two straight seasons (38.7 ypp in 2017, 38.3 ypp in 2018) and moving the needle up to 6th in the conference (43.9 ypp in 2019). The Australian is back for more as a redshirt junior in 2020 and will be backed up by redshirt senior walk-on Matias Gasc, a transfer from Stetson who averaged 39.3 ypp in 31 games over the past three seasons for the Hatters.
“[Gasc] gives us depth we need at that position, a guy with a good leg and he can hold,” Patke said. “We thought it was a steal getting him in our program.”
On the return units, the Canes will have to find new primary returners with Jeff Thomas, Deejay Dallas, and KJ Osborn now gone.
At punt returner, Patke said the Canes are working in 10 different players, and Patke singled out WR Mark Pope as an early standout there.
“He has a great feel, is standing out right now just catching the punts,” Patke said of Pope. “We need a punt catcher before we have a returner. We need to field the football first and that is not an easy task. It’s a hard job, nerve-racking job, all eyes are on you with that ball in the air.”
At kickoff returner, Patke says Miami has been rotating 8 different players in an attempt to find an answer. Pope, RB Jaylan Knighton, and WR Mike Harley have impressed Patke thus far.
“You have a whole bunch of guys, it’s an open competition,” Patke said.
“Keontra has done a heck of a job, is really coming along,” Patke said. “We think of him as an older guy almost with Romeo (Finley) being the guy the last few years. He’s a coach-pleaser, hard-worker, head down, will do everything it takes to be a great player.”
Smith was working with the twos in spring, while redshirt sophomore Gilbert Frierson took the departed Finley’s spot on the first unit.
“Gilbert’s smart, can line up the entire defense,” Patke said. “Coming from corner a year ago, he knows corner, safety and striker, understands the defense, what we’re trying to do. He’s the old guy in that room and is very cerebral when it comes to football.”
While Frierson is the more experienced player at the position, Patke mentioned that there is still an open competition between Frierson and Smith for the starting job. Former walk-on Ryan Ragone, who earned a scholarship last week, is working on the third team at striker.
"I think [Smith and Frierson] are similar," Patke said. "They are both smart, they are both physical. When we signed Keontra out of high school, we knew how physical he was as a great tackler. He played a lot in the box and played the striker position in high school a lot. He is very used to what we ask him to do and Gilbert brings a year under his belt to the table. They bring some different things to the table, but they are similar in some sorts. Gilbert is a little taller. It is going to be fun to watch during this camp to see who is going to take that job over and obviously we want to play multiple people, but I want to see them battle it out."
Turning towards special teams, after the Canes’ well-documented struggles in the kicking game during 2019, the kicking job in 2020 will go to FIU redshirt senior transfer Jose Borregales, who hit on multiple 50+ yard field goals to help FIU upset the Hurricanes last season. A Lou Groza Award finalist for the nation’s top kicker in 2018, Borregales is 50-66 (76%) on FG’s in his 3-year career, including a 131-134 (98%) mark on extra points. Borregales is also known for his strong leg from deep, connecting on 13-16 (81%) from 40-49 yards out, and 4-6 (67%) from 50+ yards out in his career. His arrival will instantly improve Miami’s kicking woes in 2020 according to Patke.
“Adding an older guy that’s played in a lot of football, has kicked at a high level going into his fifth year, I am definitely confident in the guy’s talent,” Patke said of Borregales. “We need to see him do it in a game, but today at practice we saw him make a 52-yarder that would have been good from 60. He has all the talent and I am amazed to watch him work. He carries himself like a pro, like a veteran, and guys respect him. That makes our whole team better, has us more confident to have the field goal team trot out there and expect points.”
Redshirt junior punter Louis Hedley ended up being a revelation in his first season with the Canes in 2019, taking a punting game that had finished last in the ACC in yards per punt for two straight seasons (38.7 ypp in 2017, 38.3 ypp in 2018) and moving the needle up to 6th in the conference (43.9 ypp in 2019). The Australian is back for more as a redshirt junior in 2020 and will be backed up by redshirt senior walk-on Matias Gasc, a transfer from Stetson who averaged 39.3 ypp in 31 games over the past three seasons for the Hatters.
“[Gasc] gives us depth we need at that position, a guy with a good leg and he can hold,” Patke said. “We thought it was a steal getting him in our program.”
On the return units, the Canes will have to find new primary returners with Jeff Thomas, Deejay Dallas, and KJ Osborn now gone.
At punt returner, Patke said the Canes are working in 10 different players, and Patke singled out WR Mark Pope as an early standout there.
“He has a great feel, is standing out right now just catching the punts,” Patke said of Pope. “We need a punt catcher before we have a returner. We need to field the football first and that is not an easy task. It’s a hard job, nerve-racking job, all eyes are on you with that ball in the air.”
At kickoff returner, Patke says Miami has been rotating 8 different players in an attempt to find an answer. Pope, RB Jaylan Knighton, and WR Mike Harley have impressed Patke thus far.
“You have a whole bunch of guys, it’s an open competition,” Patke said.
