Can Miami sign two five-star defensive linemen? That remains a possibility after Houma (La.) Terrebonne five-star defensive lineman Maason Smith put the Hurricanes in a final five of sorts on Tuesday along with LSU, Georgia, Alabama and Florida.
Smith, who the industry-generated 247Sports Composite ranks as the nation's No. 3 defensive tackle prospect this cycle, has had his name linked here and there to Miami ever since he attended the program's annual Paradise Camp two years ago.
“I liked it. It was good," Smith told InsideTheU after that two-day visit. "It was my first time being in Miami so it was just really eye-opening because Miami is very culturally diverse. The city itself was great. Coral Gables is very nice. It’s a small private school off South Beach.”
While Smith has always spoken highly of the Hurricanes, many have always thought that he will eventually end up playing somewhere in the SEC and most likely at LSU, which is why his 247Sports' Crystal Ball reads 100 percent in favor of the in-state Tigers. Still, it's notable that Miami remains alive in the recruitment even after a loss to No. 1 ranked Clemson over the weekend. 
Smith hasn't had a chance to return to Coral Gables for another visit, but could in theory take an official visit in January if he decided not to sign early as the NCAA's temporary dead period should be lifted at the end of December.
One major obstacle Miami would have to overcome with Smith, however, is the fact that the All-American has indicated in the past that he would like to attend the same school as fellow five-star defensive lineman Korey Foreman. The Hurricanes aren't considered a finalist for Foreman. Either is Alabama or Florida. That means if Smith and Foreman are going to play together it would have to be at LSU or Georgia.
Smith recorded 82 tackles last season with 24 of those coming for a loss. He was also credited with 10 sacks and batted down nine passes at the line of scrimmage. 247Sports recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks has compared Smith to a young Eddie Goldman.
"Possesses impressive size that is definitely college-ready and translates to multiple fronts," Brooks wrote in an evaluation. "Tall and wears his weight well despite being north of 300 pounds. Size and natural athleticism allow for position- and scheme-versatile roles. Mass manifests in impressive functional strength that fosters disengaging ability .... Elite defensive line prospect in the 2021 class. Potential impact college player with early-round NFL Draft ceiling."
32COMMENTSMiami currently holds the nation's No. 10 ranked recruiting class. The group is headlined by Miami Palmetto five-star defensive lineman Leonard Taylor and Plantation American Heritage five-star athlete James Williams.

Veteran Miami Hurricanes on the roster remember last time the team was ranked as high as UM is entering Saturday’s tilt with No. 1 Clemson was also the last time they played against the Tigers.
The Hurricanes, ranked No. 7 then and now, were humbled on the wrong side of a 38-3 outcome in the 2017 ACC Championship Game.

Of course, there was also the 58-0 loss to Clemson in 2015 that led to the firing of ex-coach Al Golden, but no players remain at Miami from that team. Some of the current Hurricanes were there in 2017, and they feel this year’s team is better equipped to go up against the perennial ACC power.
“I would say just unity, togetherness,” said redshirt junior center Corey Gaynor. “We’re a close team. We all look out for each other. We hold each other accountable. And maturity — we’re all getting older as years go on.”

Said redshirt senior linebacker Zach McCloud: “We execute better now. I think we’re a more mature team. I think we’re ready for the challenge.”

While now having a reliable quarterback in D’Eriq King, who will duel with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence on Saturday, the Miami defense has, for the most part, been a constant.

“As a defense, all together, I feel like we’re a little more bonded,” said senior safety Amari Carter. “We have seen many more things in recent years. Offensive coordinators have come through our program, being able to know three offenses, different schemes, that has helped us in ways that it might not seem. When we step out on the field, we have more confidence in what we have learned throughout the week because we started getting used to changes in that area.”
Carter, speaking for safeties, also learned from the veterans on that team, like the combination of Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine on the back end of the defense.

​“The way they prepared,” Carter said. “They always prepared like pros. I really wouldn’t say too much has changed in that area.”

The No. 7 Miami Hurricanes must stop quarterback Trevor Lawrence to win the most important game they have played since they last faced No. 1 Clemson in the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game.
Good luck with that.
“He’s a problem,’’ Miami defensive coordinator Blake Baker said with a worrisome laugh during a Zoom interview Tuesday. “That’s the best way I can put it.’’
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00:05/00:15SKIP ADLawrence, a 6-6, 220-pound junior widely expected to be the No. 1 NFL Draft pick in 2021, is an all-around marvel. He became the first true freshman quarterback in 2018 to lead the Tigers to a national title since 1985 (Oklahoma’s Jamelle Holieway), and has not slowed down since.
The Tigers (3-0, 2-0 ACC) and Hurricanes (3-0, 2-0) will clash in Clemson, South Carolina, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC). Better believe the Canes, led by defensive-minded coach Manny Diaz, are scheming around the clock for Clemson’s multifaceted offense.
“I just know historically Miami has always been a powerhouse,’’ Lawrence said this week. “They’ve just always had a certain swag about them that when you play them you know what you’re going to get. They’re definitely getting back to that and that’s really good to see.
“At Miami they’ve always had athletes. They get them every year. It’s going to be a good challenge for us for sure.’’
Lawrence, from Cartersville, Georgia, completed 268 of 407 passes for 3,665 yards and 36 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 15 games last season. He also ran for 563 yards and nine touchdowns on 103 carries — his 45 combined rushing and passing touchdowns tying Lamar Jackson for fifth most in a season in ACC history.
NO PICKS FOR ALMOST A YEARThis season, he’s 55 of 75 (73.3 percent) for 848 yards and seven touchdowns and no interceptions. The last time Lawrence threw a pick — actually, two — was on Oct. 19, 2019 against Louisville.

After his players almost flawlessly executed a game plan against Auburn that many are calling a masterpiece, Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham celebrated Saturday night.
 By watching tape of LSU’s offense.
 That’s the way it goes in this league, with this Florida schedule. There is precious little time to reflect on success before moving on to the next challenge. And Grantham and his guys are staring at a gargantuan one in LSU’s high-flying, high-scoring offense.
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See More Last week, Grantham had to devise a plan to slow down a balanced and potent Auburn offense that was coming off a 55-point game. Now comes the daunting task of trying to find a way to diffuse a LSU offense that is averaging almost 55 points (54.6) a game and 566 total yards a game, more than 400 through the air.
 The trigger man is former Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been lighting it up every Saturday. He’s completing 78.4 percent of his passes, has thrown 22 touchdown passes and is averaging 372.8 yards passing a game.
 “He’ll be the best quarterback, obviously, we’ve seen so far this year,” UF coach Dan Mullen said. “He can make all the throws. He’s got experience. Playing in big games, that’s not new for him. He’s played in a bunch of big games. He’s got great skill players around him, you can see his trust in those guys to go make plays out there.
 “And I think he’s just deceptively, really athletic. He can extend plays in the run game. If you’re going to give it to him, he’s going to take it. He’ll be a good challenge for our defense.”
 Burrow is not the same quarterback the Gators faced, and beat, last season. And it’s not the same LSU offense, not even close.
 LSU coach Ed Orgeron made a seismic philosophical shift offensively this past offseason when he hired Joe Brady away from the New Orleans Saints staff to coordinate the Tigers’ passing game. Brady has taken a physical, run-it-first offense and transformed it into a wide-open, potent passing attack that defenses have had no answers for so far this season.
 Burrow is surrounded by explosive playmakers, the most lethal being wide receivers Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase (a former UF commitment) and Terrace Marshall Jr. The three have combined for 73 receptions for 1,302 yards and 19 touchdowns. And there are many other options in the passing game. Nineteen different Tigers have caught passes this season.
 This is nothing like the old-style, smack-you-in-the-face offense the Tigers used to run.
  “For them, they’re looking at the players they have, probably like we do,” Mullen said. “You look at your roster, the talent on your roster, what fits that talent. They have a veteran quarterback that can really throw it. They have some great skill players on the perimeter. And they have a veteran offensive line. In that case, why not spread it around and try to go score some points.”
 That’s what the Tigers are doing, in a big, breathless way.
 Grantham and his guys are facing a difficult challenge. That’s why he started tackling it only hours after the big win over Auburn.
 The Gators are well versed on what they’re facing.
  “(Burrow) is obviously a talented player,” senior defensive tackle Adam Shuler said. “We see he’s a good player. We see that they’re talented. But there’s more than one way to skin a cat. So, we’re putting in a game plan, a way to stop it.”
 They had a plan that stopped Auburn’s offense last week. This week’s game plan will have to be different because the Gators are facing a much different style of offense.
 “They have conversions within the play,” Grantham said of the LSU offense. “They can convert routes relative to your leverage and things like that. The quarterback’s reads are a little more developed than last week. That part of it is a challenge. They’re kind of changing as the play goes on, whereas last week the changes occurred more pre-snap. Both offenses are effective, but this one is a little more challenging from the standpoint of the passing game and you have an effective quarterback who knows where to throw the ball and you’ve got good skill guys. We’ve got to play well.” 
 The Gators will have a plan. And the players will trust it, senior middle linebacker David Reese said.
 “Oh, we’re just going to have to play our ball,” Reese said. “We’re not too worried about what they have to offer. We know they’re going to be an unbelievable team, unbelievable talent and that’s obvious, they’re a top-five team in the country. It’s basically based upon what we do, how we execute and Grantham is an aggressive coach, so we’re not going to wait on the offense to make decisions.”

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Hurricanes Quarterback N'Kosi Perry says he's ready to play while speaking to the media after practice at Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility in Coral Gables on Oct. 9, 2019. BY AL DIAZThe Miami Hurricanes, at least for one game, are making a quarterback change.
N’Kosi Perry will be the starting quarterback Friday when Miami hosts the No. 20 Virginia Cavaliers at Hard Rock Stadium, Manny Diaz said after practice Wednesday in Coral Gables. The coach told his team about the decision immediately following practice, then opened his session with reporters inside the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility by announcing Perry as the starter before he even fielded a question.
“I just want to take all the suspense out of it. We’re going to start N’Kosi Perry at quarterback on Friday night,” the first-year coach said. “Jarren Williams is dealing with an upper-extremity issue that leaves him less than 100 percent. We think N’Kosi gives us a chance to win. I think we all saw last Saturday the improvement in his game. And we’re excited to get behind him, ride behind him and find a way to beat a very well coached and tough-minded Virginia football team.”
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  00:15 / 00:15SKIP ADWilliams started the first five games of the season for the Hurricanes (2-3, 0-2 Atlantic Coast) before Miami lifted him from the game in the first quarter of a 42-35 loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday. Williams told ESPN before the game he was dealing with some shoulder soreness and he went to the locker room after being pulled from the loss. Diaz said Williams was “limited” in practice for the second straight day Wednesday and his status remains “day-to-day.” He also did not rule out Williams being available as a backup Friday.

byDonavon Keiser
23 hrs-edited
Florida's 24-13 victory over Auburn this past weekend proved one thing: The Gators have one of the best defenses in the nation.
The Gators pulled out a remarkable “upset” last Saturday in The Swamp, as they outplayed their former rival, the Auburn Tigers, in their first meeting since 2007.
Florida played incredibly well on defense, as they bailed out the offense multiple times after posting five turnovers. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s defense only allowed 13 points, and the only touchdown given up came after head coach Dan Mullen called a risky fake punt deep in his own territory. Mullen even took responsibility for the touchdown, as the defense gave up a deep pass to Seth Williams one play after the turnover. 
The Gators had a total of three interceptions, from safeties Shawn Davis and Donovan Stiner, and one from cornerback Marco Wilson. Including the three from the Auburn game, the Gators are up to 12 interceptions on the season among seven defenders on the season.
Florida's defense was tough as nails and has still only given 17 points in the second half through six games in 2019. Grantham has been excellent with his halftime adjustments, and this is only further proof as to why he is a top defensive coordinator in all of College Football. Grantham’s play-calling was nothing short of elite, as he only gave up 269 yards to Auburn.
The Florida defense had complete control over Auburn all afternoon, and the Tigers struggled on 3rd down only converting twice on 14 attempts. Auburn also went for it once on 4th down, and that was also shut down by the tenacious UF front seven. The Gators stopped the run for the majority of the game, and the pass rush aided the defensive backs as Nix only completed 11 of his 27 passes for only 145 yards. 
All of this came without one his best linemen, as Jabari Zuniga has remained sidelined since the Kentucky game for an ankle injury. Zuniga should return to the Gators for LSU, as he dressed for Auburn but has held out in order to make sure he was 100% going forward.
Let's take a look at some of Florida's best defensive plays on tape from the Auburn game, and how they prove that the Gators own one of the best defenses in the nation.

This wasn’t just any season-opener; this was like popping a bottle of Dom Perignon on the college football season.
Effervescent emotions, bubbling intensity — a sweet, fizzing, intoxicating nectar of pigskin passion flowing throughout soldout Camping World Stadium as the Florida Gators took on the Miami Hurricanes Saturday night for the first time in six seasons and for only fifth time in the regular season in the past 32 years.

And the end result was a slobber-knocking, nail-biting, gut-wrenching, heart-palpitating 24-20 victory for the eighth-ranked Gators that ended with a feverish Miami drive finally stalling at the UF 26-yard line.


We love you.
This is the type of gift and game you deserve.
Granted, it was train wreck at times, but was a game filled with intrigue and drama, a plethora of game-changing penalties and game-breaking plays, fake punts and fake field goals. Urban Meyer was even there dressed in Orange and Blue, cheering for his former offensive coordinator — UF coach Dan Mullen — and no doubt making his case for getting into the Gators’ Ring of Honor.
Unlike the usual array of mundane season-opening mismatches between Florida and Al’s Barber College or Miami and Pinky’s Cosmetology Institute, it was absolutely glorious to have a season opener with enormous such ramifications — particularly for the Gators.
Not that this game wasn’t significant for the Hurricanes. It would have been monumental for new coach Manny Diaz if the 'Canes could have somehow pulled out the victory for a program desperately trying to regain relevance after 15 mostly insignificant years under four different head coaches.
But for the Gators, this victory — as sloppy and choppy as it was — was even bigger. They were not only the favored team on Saturday night; they were the team with sky-high expectations. They were the team that talked about unseating Georgia in the SEC East this year and even winning a national title.


They were the team with the experienced head coach in Mullen, who won 10 games in his inaugural season in Gainesville and has a decade’s worth of head-coaching experience in the toughest conference in college football.
They were the team with the experienced quarterback in Feleipe Franks, who closed last season by playing brilliantly in victories against Florida State and Michigan and whom Gators legend Steve Spurrier has even mentioned as a Heisman candidate.
Miami? It was the team that came into this game with low expectations, a first-time head coach in Diaz and a redshirt freshman quarterback in Jarren Williams, who came into the game having completed one pass in his collegiate career but certainly didn’t play like a freshman Saturday night. He kept the ’Canes in the game with remarkable poise in the face of a relentless Florida pass rush that sacked him 11 times.
“If the Gators lose tonight,” ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said on College GameDay Saturday morning, “it will pop their balloon.”


When the U’s DeeJay Dallas broke two tackles and outran the vaunted Gators defense for a 50-yard touchdown and a 20-17 lead early in the fourth quarter, it looked like the UF balloon was indeed about to burst.
Give Franks credit for rallying his team after Miami took the lead. He was unimpressive for much of the game, threw two fourth-quarter picks and fumbled once in the red zone, but he came back and hit Josh Hammond for 65 yards to set up his own 3-yard winning touchdown run and a 24-20 lead.
“The last five minutes of the game, I think I aged 10 years,” Mullen said afterward.
And for good reason. For the Gators, this wasn’t just about beating Miami in this once-in-blue-moon rivalry and securing bragging rights for the next five years (the two teams won’t play again until 2024), this was about setting a tone, establishing a standard and living up to expectations.


Let’s face it, the Gators came out of nowhere to win 10 games last season following a calamitous four-win season in 2017. The UF fan base was giddy after last season, the perennially bad offense showed significant improvement and Mullen became an instant rock star within Gator Nation.
Then again, Mullen could have won eight games and Gator fans would have considered it a good season after the debacle that was Jim McElwain’s closing act. The fact is, there was no real pressure or expectations on Mullen last season.
This year, though, the expectations are immense. Mullen came into Saturday night needing to prove to fans that last year wasn’t a fluke and needing to prove to recruits that his second-year program is ahead of Diaz’s first-year program. If Mullen had lost to Diaz, his former defensive coordinator, it would have all but ruined the goodwill he built up at the end of last season.
Plus, there was this: As good as the Gators were on the field in Mullen’s dreamy first season, the months afterward have been a nightmare filled with controversy and consternation. 
​

The Gators desperately needed a victory over the Hurricanes on Saturday night to not only wash away the bad taste of the offseason but to set the tone for a new season.
A new season that began with a big game and a beautiful night befitting the 150-year anniversary of the great sport of college football.

In football, speed kills. But at Miami, you’re supposed to be fast. The Hurricanes lived up to this expectation and got a premier deep threat when Jeff Thomas committed back in 2017. A 4-star receiver from the state of Illinois, Thomas was the 40th best player and 5th best receiver in the class. He was also regarded as one of the fastest, recording a 4.38 40-yard dash in high school. It seemed like the ceiling for Thomas was to be a Phillip Dorsett-type; a field-stretching vertical threat who could be a no. 1 receiver but still had limits at just 5’10” and 170 pounds. In just two seasons of play, he’s proven to be even more than that.
As a freshman, Thomas was able to flash in limited reps but still looked more like a one-trick pony than a legit gamechanger. He had 17 receptions for 374 yards and 2 TDs, good enough for an absurd 22 yards per catch average. Then came 2018, when Thomas had less competition with Braxton Berrios and Chris Herndon moved on, and Ahmmon Richards suffering a career-ending injury one reception into the year.
Thomas put on a show against LSU, appearing to be the only Cane who suited up and looked capable of doing anything against a big-time Tigers’ defense. He had 5 receptions for 132 yards, both career highs, and made circus catch after circus catch trying to adjust to Malik Rosier’s throws.
The sophomore continued to produce despite the Miami offense growing stagnant as the year continued on, growing understandably frustrated when he wasn’t getting touches. For someone who could score a touchdown whenever he touched the ball, he wasn’t being treated like it. Late in the season, Thomas clashed with Mark Richt and in November it was announced that he would be leaving the program to transfer elsewhere. He ended the season with 35 receptions for 563 yards and 3 TDs. He also added 221 yards and a touchdown on 9 punt returns.
Fast forward to mid-January; Richt is out, Manny Diaz is in, and Jeff Thomas returns after flirting with a transfer to the University of Illinois. Now, Miami has a new playcaller to properly incorporate arguably their most exciting playmaker into the offense.


2019 OutlookThere’s really only one question Jeff Thomas will need to answer - will he be able to handle adversity better this season? The team has welcomed him back with open arms and, as far as anyone has heard, Thomas has not clashed with anyone over his temporary leave in 2018. And for all we know, the locker room could’ve sided with the talented young receiver over Mark Richt. But other than the off-the-field, we know what Thomas can do on it.
He gets to be the focal point of this offense, the best player among these 11 and arguably the most talented guy on the entire roster. Thomas has CB-torching speed, dependable hands, solid route-running guile and a knack for making spectacular, circus catches. He can be a no. 1 WR, and will be this season, and a field-flipping punt returner.
Thomas should be able to generate some solid numbers, even in an offense that has several mouths to feed. 50 receptions, 900 yards and 5 TDs seem like realistic expectations in 2019.