Paul Austria
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When it comes to the safety position for the Miami Hurricanes, depth and experience are the least of their worries as the Canes basically return everyone from last season, and the decisions of Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine to return for their senior seasons has made the jobs of safeties’ coach Ephraim Banda and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz a lot easier. Barring any injuries, this could easily be one of Miami’s best units.
Most Valuable: Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine
Despite his smaller stature at 5’10”, Jaquan Johnson has established himself not only as one of the best safeties in the nation, but also one of the best overall players in the nation as well. The 2nd-team All-American started all 13 games last season and led the team in total tackles with 96 and tied for the team lead with four interceptions. Johnson has established as the “head honcho” in leading this year’s Miami defense.
Making the move from cornerback to safety, Redwine has shown he is the perfect complement to Johnson. Standing at 6’1”, he has given the Canes much comfort and has proven to be very reliable, finishing with 59 tackles to go along with two sacks.
Sleeper: Amari Carter & Gurvan Hall
Carter played sparingly during his freshman season but he’s absolutely made the most of it. Ever since Coach Richt assumed the head coaching position, there has been so much talk of the goal to “bring the U back” and no one epitomizes that phrase more than Carter. He’s the DB that’s lurking and waiting for that opportunity to deliver a big hit on a wideout trying to make a catch down the middle. It took only one game for Carter to leave his mark on the field, forcing a fumble in his first career game against Bethune-Cookman. If his name gets called early should Johnson or Redwine get hurt, he will thrive.
Hall is a true freshman and he will most likely be receiving some game action due to the more lenient redshirt rule in effect. He missed most of spring practice with a knee injury but teammates were raving about how rangy and physical he was early on. The talent is absolutely there, and remember, Nick Saban landed a helicopter on this kid's high school football field to try and recruit him to Alabama.
Something to Prove: Robert Knowles
This year is crucial for Knowles, especially knowing that he’s now entering his junior season and he has not gotten regular playing time on defense. When Redwine had to exit Miami’s matchup with FSU last season with an injury, Knowles’ number was called. What followed however was something out of a disaster movie. Coverage was blown and Knowles allowed two touchdowns, which consequently both led to FSU taking the lead. One mishap and Knowles can easily slide down the depth chart with Carter, Smith, and even Gurvan Hall waiting in the wings as well.
Most Valuable: Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine
Despite his smaller stature at 5’10”, Jaquan Johnson has established himself not only as one of the best safeties in the nation, but also one of the best overall players in the nation as well. The 2nd-team All-American started all 13 games last season and led the team in total tackles with 96 and tied for the team lead with four interceptions. Johnson has established as the “head honcho” in leading this year’s Miami defense.
Making the move from cornerback to safety, Redwine has shown he is the perfect complement to Johnson. Standing at 6’1”, he has given the Canes much comfort and has proven to be very reliable, finishing with 59 tackles to go along with two sacks.
Sleeper: Amari Carter & Gurvan Hall
Carter played sparingly during his freshman season but he’s absolutely made the most of it. Ever since Coach Richt assumed the head coaching position, there has been so much talk of the goal to “bring the U back” and no one epitomizes that phrase more than Carter. He’s the DB that’s lurking and waiting for that opportunity to deliver a big hit on a wideout trying to make a catch down the middle. It took only one game for Carter to leave his mark on the field, forcing a fumble in his first career game against Bethune-Cookman. If his name gets called early should Johnson or Redwine get hurt, he will thrive.
Hall is a true freshman and he will most likely be receiving some game action due to the more lenient redshirt rule in effect. He missed most of spring practice with a knee injury but teammates were raving about how rangy and physical he was early on. The talent is absolutely there, and remember, Nick Saban landed a helicopter on this kid's high school football field to try and recruit him to Alabama.
Something to Prove: Robert Knowles
This year is crucial for Knowles, especially knowing that he’s now entering his junior season and he has not gotten regular playing time on defense. When Redwine had to exit Miami’s matchup with FSU last season with an injury, Knowles’ number was called. What followed however was something out of a disaster movie. Coverage was blown and Knowles allowed two touchdowns, which consequently both led to FSU taking the lead. One mishap and Knowles can easily slide down the depth chart with Carter, Smith, and even Gurvan Hall waiting in the wings as well.
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