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After a strong start to the season, Miami’s offensive line continued on a downward trend vs. UVA last week, giving up 11 TFL and 5 sacks, and there were multiple other close calls in those departments as well. In their past three games combined, UM has now given up a whopping 14 sacks and 37 TFL, and Canes’ OL coach Garin Justice touched on some of the issues up front on Wednesday.
“100 percent we have not had our best couple of weeks, it has been a combination of things - Clemson and Pitt for example were very good run stopping defenses,” Justice said. “The other thing - you worry about scheme, scheme, scheme, and your fundamentals slip. Virginia didn’t do anything we didn’t prepare for, guys’ eyes are wrong. It happens. The bye allows us to sit back and self-scout - `On this play what are the issues?’ Now you’re able to analyze it, clean it up.”
John Campbell opened the season as the starting left tackle and has started 4 games this year at the spot, but Zion Nelson has been pushing behind him and has garnered two starts at LT, including last week vs. UVA. Justice said Nelson will continue to stick as the starting LT going forward.
“Zion, since he’s been in the lineup - throughout his past month of playing games, he’s probably been our best performer on the offensive line, has solidified himself as the guy we want to move forward with at that position," Justice said. "Zion, you talk about just perseverance and doing what you’re supposed to - this guy gave up a lot of sacks (in 2019), was undersized, but you saw his ability, the character of who he is.
“Coach (Butch) Barry had been his only line coach in college - Zion came in, bought into everything coach Barry was saying, and now here comes someone saying something different, not that it's right or wrong. Now it was harder to change some of his habits, fundamentals, and techniques than other guys who had been through change before. We’re trying to figure out if he can play inside, did okay there but probably slowed his development at tackle. Now at tackle, he and Jalen Rivers are the two you see the most noticeable improvement in every single week."
Justice sees Campbell as a guy that can be a swingman of sorts across the line as Miami’s sixth lineman.
“John clearly can play guard," Justice said. "He’s more of a tackle just from his build, body, game. That’s the way we project him.”
Justice also went into further discussion on Rivers, who he’s felt has shown the most improvement from the beginning of the season along with Nelson.
“You see a progression with him every single week,” Justice said. “He is going to be a guy for us, but at the same time, I don’t want to put him in the lineup when he’s not ready or if he’s not advanced past guys ahead of him. When you see him in the lineup, you may not see him leave the lineup until the day he leaves Miami. He’s improving, getting better, is pretty close to possibly breaking that lineup. When we started the year he was our 10th or 11th guy, and each week he’s picking someone off. We can move him around at guard, tackle.
“Jalen is probably a little more of a tackle first, although you could see him play his earlier years at guards because of availability and the game can be slower. We rep him at both those positions… I don’t know where you’ll see him, but he’s repping guard and tackle.”
Fellow freshman Chris Washington is listed as the backup RT on Miami’s depth chart, but Justice feels Washington is a longer ways away from actually seeing the field.
“Chris is exactly where we thought he would be, more of a developmental role," Justice said. "He’s been repping with our second group, prepping right tackle with those guys. Some scout team, some up with us. Trying to get his progress going. We’re hoping (he can) gain a good 20 pounds, understand what to do. He’s getting better and better. Sometimes with linemen it takes that second cycle, spring ball, to really figure it out.”
Miami’s third true freshman on the OL is Issiah Walker, and Justice gave an update on his status as well.
“He’s fully allowed to practice, is with the team,” Justice said. “Issiah is a very talented guy, probably needs a year of development. As far as his talent and upside we’re extremely excited about his potential here.”
Sophomore Ousman Traore started Miami’s opener against UAB, but was quickly demoted the next week. Still, Justice is pleased with his progress on the second team.
“We thought of the five guys he performed the lowest (vs. UAB),” Justice said of Traore. "That and Jakai Clark missed the start of camp, was still growing, developing. If Jakai was healthy all camp, maybe Ousman (doesn’t start the opener). Still really, really happy with Ousman. He’s a guy that can play all three spots in the middle.”
Redshirt freshman Adam ElGammal continues to work on scout team as he rehabs his way back into playing shape after an injury.
“He had an injury in July, missed all of August and parts of September," Justice said of ElGammal. "Just got him back a few weeks ago. I like Adam’s size, Adam’s got some ability. As far as reps, he hasn’t got a lot of chance to flash during the season.”
Senior Navaughn Donaldson is another that is rehabbing off an injury, and Justice did not rule out Donaldson working his way into the mix in the second half of the season.
“He’s getting closer, is allowed to do individual drills, some team periods where it’s non-contact,” Justice said. “He’s a guy that could possibly get cleared by the end of the year. He’s a big man coming off the knee injury, we want to be delicate with how we bring him back.”
“100 percent we have not had our best couple of weeks, it has been a combination of things - Clemson and Pitt for example were very good run stopping defenses,” Justice said. “The other thing - you worry about scheme, scheme, scheme, and your fundamentals slip. Virginia didn’t do anything we didn’t prepare for, guys’ eyes are wrong. It happens. The bye allows us to sit back and self-scout - `On this play what are the issues?’ Now you’re able to analyze it, clean it up.”
John Campbell opened the season as the starting left tackle and has started 4 games this year at the spot, but Zion Nelson has been pushing behind him and has garnered two starts at LT, including last week vs. UVA. Justice said Nelson will continue to stick as the starting LT going forward.
“Zion, since he’s been in the lineup - throughout his past month of playing games, he’s probably been our best performer on the offensive line, has solidified himself as the guy we want to move forward with at that position," Justice said. "Zion, you talk about just perseverance and doing what you’re supposed to - this guy gave up a lot of sacks (in 2019), was undersized, but you saw his ability, the character of who he is.
“Coach (Butch) Barry had been his only line coach in college - Zion came in, bought into everything coach Barry was saying, and now here comes someone saying something different, not that it's right or wrong. Now it was harder to change some of his habits, fundamentals, and techniques than other guys who had been through change before. We’re trying to figure out if he can play inside, did okay there but probably slowed his development at tackle. Now at tackle, he and Jalen Rivers are the two you see the most noticeable improvement in every single week."
Justice sees Campbell as a guy that can be a swingman of sorts across the line as Miami’s sixth lineman.
“John clearly can play guard," Justice said. "He’s more of a tackle just from his build, body, game. That’s the way we project him.”
Justice also went into further discussion on Rivers, who he’s felt has shown the most improvement from the beginning of the season along with Nelson.
“You see a progression with him every single week,” Justice said. “He is going to be a guy for us, but at the same time, I don’t want to put him in the lineup when he’s not ready or if he’s not advanced past guys ahead of him. When you see him in the lineup, you may not see him leave the lineup until the day he leaves Miami. He’s improving, getting better, is pretty close to possibly breaking that lineup. When we started the year he was our 10th or 11th guy, and each week he’s picking someone off. We can move him around at guard, tackle.
“Jalen is probably a little more of a tackle first, although you could see him play his earlier years at guards because of availability and the game can be slower. We rep him at both those positions… I don’t know where you’ll see him, but he’s repping guard and tackle.”
Fellow freshman Chris Washington is listed as the backup RT on Miami’s depth chart, but Justice feels Washington is a longer ways away from actually seeing the field.
“Chris is exactly where we thought he would be, more of a developmental role," Justice said. "He’s been repping with our second group, prepping right tackle with those guys. Some scout team, some up with us. Trying to get his progress going. We’re hoping (he can) gain a good 20 pounds, understand what to do. He’s getting better and better. Sometimes with linemen it takes that second cycle, spring ball, to really figure it out.”
Miami’s third true freshman on the OL is Issiah Walker, and Justice gave an update on his status as well.
“He’s fully allowed to practice, is with the team,” Justice said. “Issiah is a very talented guy, probably needs a year of development. As far as his talent and upside we’re extremely excited about his potential here.”
Sophomore Ousman Traore started Miami’s opener against UAB, but was quickly demoted the next week. Still, Justice is pleased with his progress on the second team.
“We thought of the five guys he performed the lowest (vs. UAB),” Justice said of Traore. "That and Jakai Clark missed the start of camp, was still growing, developing. If Jakai was healthy all camp, maybe Ousman (doesn’t start the opener). Still really, really happy with Ousman. He’s a guy that can play all three spots in the middle.”
Redshirt freshman Adam ElGammal continues to work on scout team as he rehabs his way back into playing shape after an injury.
“He had an injury in July, missed all of August and parts of September," Justice said of ElGammal. "Just got him back a few weeks ago. I like Adam’s size, Adam’s got some ability. As far as reps, he hasn’t got a lot of chance to flash during the season.”
Senior Navaughn Donaldson is another that is rehabbing off an injury, and Justice did not rule out Donaldson working his way into the mix in the second half of the season.
“He’s getting closer, is allowed to do individual drills, some team periods where it’s non-contact,” Justice said. “He’s a guy that could possibly get cleared by the end of the year. He’s a big man coming off the knee injury, we want to be delicate with how we bring him back.”
