frank1886
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Buzz around UM football as camp approaches Aug. 3:
### The program that used to be known as “Quarterback U” hasn’t had one drafted before the seventh round in, shockingly, 21 years, since Craig Erickson was plucked in the fourth in 1992.
Stephen Morris assuredly will be selected much higher than Round Seven next spring. And considering his talent and supporting cast, it's reasonable to believe he could produce the best season by a Canes quarterback since Ken Dorsey, who was drafted in the seventh round in 2003.
Morris -- who ended 2012 on an 11-touchdown, no interception streak and finished with the fifth-most passing yards in a season in UM history -- drew raves for his work at the Manning Passing Academy last weekend.
He won the skills competition, hitting short, intermediate and deep targets on a moving golf cart – beating out projected first-round pick A.J. McCarron of Alabama, Florida’s Jeff Driskel and others. And he also performed well in a passing exhibition with receivers, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen mentioned to us in an e-mail.
Though NFL Network’s Mike Mayock called North Carolina’s Bryn Renner the most polished quarterback there, he said Morris was “the guy I really enjoy. He threw a beautiful football. He’s got a big arm. Stephen Morris has great mechanics. You can see he has really been developed well the last couple of years.”
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks said Morris “might be the most talented quarterback in college football,” and that he “spins the ball with exceptional velocity and zip while showing a deft touch on intermediate and deep passes. Most impressively, he is deadly accurate, capable of making pinpoint throws to every area of the field. He displays terrific anticipation, awareness and timing in the pocket.”
UM coach Al Golden said Morris can throw the ball at least 65 yards in the air.
Earlier in his career, Morris was so unassuming that teammates couldn’t hear him in the huddle. He fixed that by practicing in the mirror. Now, “I watch Stephen talk and am amazed by his maturity,” Golden said.
### Good to see former UM quarterback and Palm Beach Cardinal Newman coach Steve Walsh offer mentoring to Morris this offseason.
“I said to Stephen, ‘Your arm talent is as good as guys in the NFL.’ The thing is his feet. They get out of whack, and then the arm doesn’t look as good. I’ve told him that,” Walsh said. “If he can work on fundamentals, he can go in the top three rounds of the draft. From a pure throwing standpoint, his arm is as good as there is in college.”
One NFC scout said he could see Morris going in the second round.
FYI: The other UM QBs drafted since Erickson were three seventh rounders: Gino Torretta in 1993, Scott Covington in 1999 and Dorsey.
"I'm excited to see how Stephen develops," said Dorsey, now the Carolina Panthers' quarterbacks coach. "You see a lot of strides. He's in great hands with this staff."
### Of the summer freshmen arrivals, nobody has impressed more in informal workouts than receiver Stacy Coley. “A freak,” one veteran player said.
Also, Morris predicts much-improved Jontavious Carter “is going to do something really big for us." It’s difficult to see anyone initially cracking a top five receiver group of Allen Hurns, Philip Dorsett, Rashawn Scott, Herb Waters and Malcolm Lewis. But Coley could get some opportunities this season and also might get a chance as a returner.
### UM players were timed in the 40 last week, and one player said Dorsett was the fastest – below a 4.3. Duke Johnson and Waters were close behind. UM players say Antonio Crawford is their fastest cornerback.
### One player said UM experimented with a 3-4 defense more this spring than last year, and it wouldn’t be surprising if we see more of it, along with the 4-3, which has been UM's base under Golden. Tyriq McCord and Kelvin Cain would be a natural edge rusher at outside linebacker in 3-4 formations. So would Devante Bond, if he qualifies, which remains in serious doubt.
### Incoming freshmen defensive linemen Alquadin Muhammad and Ufomba Kamalu say they expect to qualify.
### Players have mentioned how much more mature Seantrel Henderson seems. He said he wants to be a first-round pick, not the fourth-rounder NFL people projected after last season. UM people now know that Henderson responds better to positive reinforcement from coaches than he does to being admonished.
### Golden is encouraged that “we’re so much stronger than a year ago.” And bigger, too, which was a priority across the defensive front seven.
Linebacker Denzel Perryman, who came to UM at 208 pounds in 2011, bulked up to 239, Golden said. Linebacker Raphael Kirby has gone from 215 to 230, end Anthony Chickillo from 255 to 270, among other examples.
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...-chatter-fins-marlins-heat.html#storylink=cpy
### The program that used to be known as “Quarterback U” hasn’t had one drafted before the seventh round in, shockingly, 21 years, since Craig Erickson was plucked in the fourth in 1992.
Stephen Morris assuredly will be selected much higher than Round Seven next spring. And considering his talent and supporting cast, it's reasonable to believe he could produce the best season by a Canes quarterback since Ken Dorsey, who was drafted in the seventh round in 2003.
Morris -- who ended 2012 on an 11-touchdown, no interception streak and finished with the fifth-most passing yards in a season in UM history -- drew raves for his work at the Manning Passing Academy last weekend.
He won the skills competition, hitting short, intermediate and deep targets on a moving golf cart – beating out projected first-round pick A.J. McCarron of Alabama, Florida’s Jeff Driskel and others. And he also performed well in a passing exhibition with receivers, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen mentioned to us in an e-mail.
Though NFL Network’s Mike Mayock called North Carolina’s Bryn Renner the most polished quarterback there, he said Morris was “the guy I really enjoy. He threw a beautiful football. He’s got a big arm. Stephen Morris has great mechanics. You can see he has really been developed well the last couple of years.”
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks said Morris “might be the most talented quarterback in college football,” and that he “spins the ball with exceptional velocity and zip while showing a deft touch on intermediate and deep passes. Most impressively, he is deadly accurate, capable of making pinpoint throws to every area of the field. He displays terrific anticipation, awareness and timing in the pocket.”
UM coach Al Golden said Morris can throw the ball at least 65 yards in the air.
Earlier in his career, Morris was so unassuming that teammates couldn’t hear him in the huddle. He fixed that by practicing in the mirror. Now, “I watch Stephen talk and am amazed by his maturity,” Golden said.
### Good to see former UM quarterback and Palm Beach Cardinal Newman coach Steve Walsh offer mentoring to Morris this offseason.
“I said to Stephen, ‘Your arm talent is as good as guys in the NFL.’ The thing is his feet. They get out of whack, and then the arm doesn’t look as good. I’ve told him that,” Walsh said. “If he can work on fundamentals, he can go in the top three rounds of the draft. From a pure throwing standpoint, his arm is as good as there is in college.”
One NFC scout said he could see Morris going in the second round.
FYI: The other UM QBs drafted since Erickson were three seventh rounders: Gino Torretta in 1993, Scott Covington in 1999 and Dorsey.
"I'm excited to see how Stephen develops," said Dorsey, now the Carolina Panthers' quarterbacks coach. "You see a lot of strides. He's in great hands with this staff."
### Of the summer freshmen arrivals, nobody has impressed more in informal workouts than receiver Stacy Coley. “A freak,” one veteran player said.
Also, Morris predicts much-improved Jontavious Carter “is going to do something really big for us." It’s difficult to see anyone initially cracking a top five receiver group of Allen Hurns, Philip Dorsett, Rashawn Scott, Herb Waters and Malcolm Lewis. But Coley could get some opportunities this season and also might get a chance as a returner.
### UM players were timed in the 40 last week, and one player said Dorsett was the fastest – below a 4.3. Duke Johnson and Waters were close behind. UM players say Antonio Crawford is their fastest cornerback.
### One player said UM experimented with a 3-4 defense more this spring than last year, and it wouldn’t be surprising if we see more of it, along with the 4-3, which has been UM's base under Golden. Tyriq McCord and Kelvin Cain would be a natural edge rusher at outside linebacker in 3-4 formations. So would Devante Bond, if he qualifies, which remains in serious doubt.
### Incoming freshmen defensive linemen Alquadin Muhammad and Ufomba Kamalu say they expect to qualify.
### Players have mentioned how much more mature Seantrel Henderson seems. He said he wants to be a first-round pick, not the fourth-rounder NFL people projected after last season. UM people now know that Henderson responds better to positive reinforcement from coaches than he does to being admonished.
### Golden is encouraged that “we’re so much stronger than a year ago.” And bigger, too, which was a priority across the defensive front seven.
Linebacker Denzel Perryman, who came to UM at 208 pounds in 2011, bulked up to 239, Golden said. Linebacker Raphael Kirby has gone from 215 to 230, end Anthony Chickillo from 255 to 270, among other examples.
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...-chatter-fins-marlins-heat.html#storylink=cpy
