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Miami Hurricanes defensive line coach Todd Stroud is part of the higher risk group when it comes to the coronavirus - back in 2015, he was diagnosed with amyloidosis, a cancer-like disease that affects his blood. Despite that, Stroud never thought twice about returning to the team for the 2020 season.
“Fortunately, for us, Dr. (Julio) Frenk is a pandemic expert,” Stroud said. “After looking at a lot of different models and our testing protocol, how we’re keeping our circle tight, I was really comfortable with coming back. I’ve been quarantined for 57 years, don’t have a big life outside of football. I felt totally safe coming back to work with the testing protocol and what we have going on.
“Football during the course of this quarantine was kind of the carrot. I think coach (Manny) Diaz did a remarkable job of being transparent with the administration, players. Manny was very transparent, we knew there was a chance we wouldn’t get this far. To step on the grass, our kids are energized, excited, just happy to be back.”
The big news with Stroud’s group recently was the decision by redshirt sophomore DE Gregory Rousseau to sit out the 2020 season.
“Greg was an exceptional talent, had measurables that were first round measurables and he made a family decision," Stroud said. "We wish Greg all the success in the world, he’s a total package guy. What a wonderful kid.”
Without one of the nation’s leading sack leaders, Stroud still feels Miami has the depth at DE to have a productive season at the position.
"The beauty of this defense is we’ve been able to recruit depth,” Stroud said. “Our style of defensive play, we don’t talk about four, but we talk about eight. We try to be two-deep on our front. We have three guys going into camp I think can be dominating in our conference. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll get in the first scrimmage, into full pads, try to decipher where we are with the fourth and fifth end position.
“We have guys that have done really well - Cam Williams, coming back off an academic redshirt year, shows promise, have Chantz Williams who went from 238 to 261 and settled back at 255, runs well and really rushes the passer. Then a couple of true freshmen in here, they haven’t shied away. So, we have a good problem right now. Elijah Roberts, Quentin Williams - we’ll make a decision over the next few weeks.”
Once named the #1 overall recruit in the 2017 class by the 247Sports Composite Ranking, redshirt junior DE Jaelan Phillips saw his career get off track with injury issues over the years. However, Stroud feels Phillips is now fully healthy and ready for a breakout season in place of Rousseau.
“I would put Jaelan in the 99th percentile of any player I ever coached in terms of physical attributes," Stroud said. "He weighs 270 pounds right now and runs like a safety. His physical attributes are amazing."
Miami also hopes to get similar production to what Temple saw from redshirt senior DE Quincy Roche, as the Owls transfer put up 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in winning the AAC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2019.
“He knows he came here for a reason, to improve his draft status,” Stroud said of Roche. “He’s been great, a tremendous leader for us and I can’t say enough positive things about Quincy.”
How have senior DT Jon Ford and junior DT Nesta Jade Silvera looked thus far in fall?
“We feel real good about both those guys,” Stroud said. “The biggest challenge for guys during the pandemic was managing body weight. Jade came back and was about 300 pounds, Jon was a little heavy when he came back, 334. He’s down to 322, will probably play at 315. Both those guys are moving around very well, progressing as you’d expect.”
Stroud also mentioned the team has moved redshirt freshman DL Jason Blissett back to DT after playing him at DE in the spring.
“Fortunately, for us, Dr. (Julio) Frenk is a pandemic expert,” Stroud said. “After looking at a lot of different models and our testing protocol, how we’re keeping our circle tight, I was really comfortable with coming back. I’ve been quarantined for 57 years, don’t have a big life outside of football. I felt totally safe coming back to work with the testing protocol and what we have going on.
“Football during the course of this quarantine was kind of the carrot. I think coach (Manny) Diaz did a remarkable job of being transparent with the administration, players. Manny was very transparent, we knew there was a chance we wouldn’t get this far. To step on the grass, our kids are energized, excited, just happy to be back.”
The big news with Stroud’s group recently was the decision by redshirt sophomore DE Gregory Rousseau to sit out the 2020 season.
“Greg was an exceptional talent, had measurables that were first round measurables and he made a family decision," Stroud said. "We wish Greg all the success in the world, he’s a total package guy. What a wonderful kid.”
Without one of the nation’s leading sack leaders, Stroud still feels Miami has the depth at DE to have a productive season at the position.
"The beauty of this defense is we’ve been able to recruit depth,” Stroud said. “Our style of defensive play, we don’t talk about four, but we talk about eight. We try to be two-deep on our front. We have three guys going into camp I think can be dominating in our conference. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll get in the first scrimmage, into full pads, try to decipher where we are with the fourth and fifth end position.
“We have guys that have done really well - Cam Williams, coming back off an academic redshirt year, shows promise, have Chantz Williams who went from 238 to 261 and settled back at 255, runs well and really rushes the passer. Then a couple of true freshmen in here, they haven’t shied away. So, we have a good problem right now. Elijah Roberts, Quentin Williams - we’ll make a decision over the next few weeks.”
Once named the #1 overall recruit in the 2017 class by the 247Sports Composite Ranking, redshirt junior DE Jaelan Phillips saw his career get off track with injury issues over the years. However, Stroud feels Phillips is now fully healthy and ready for a breakout season in place of Rousseau.
“I would put Jaelan in the 99th percentile of any player I ever coached in terms of physical attributes," Stroud said. "He weighs 270 pounds right now and runs like a safety. His physical attributes are amazing."
Miami also hopes to get similar production to what Temple saw from redshirt senior DE Quincy Roche, as the Owls transfer put up 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in winning the AAC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2019.
“He knows he came here for a reason, to improve his draft status,” Stroud said of Roche. “He’s been great, a tremendous leader for us and I can’t say enough positive things about Quincy.”
How have senior DT Jon Ford and junior DT Nesta Jade Silvera looked thus far in fall?
“We feel real good about both those guys,” Stroud said. “The biggest challenge for guys during the pandemic was managing body weight. Jade came back and was about 300 pounds, Jon was a little heavy when he came back, 334. He’s down to 322, will probably play at 315. Both those guys are moving around very well, progressing as you’d expect.”
Stroud also mentioned the team has moved redshirt freshman DL Jason Blissett back to DT after playing him at DE in the spring.
