Back It Up Baby

Through three games, Miami is No. 1 in the country in tackles for loss with 35 and rank first in third down conversion percentage defense, holding opponents to a 16% conversion rate. The entire Hurricanes defense is proud of its accomplishments and eager to maintain its status atop the NCAA.
 
"That is just a testament to the entire defense," defensive lineman Pat Bethel said. "Whether it's the coaches calling the plays and stuff like that or all of us on the defensive side are playing together like that and stopping dudes before they get to the line, that's always a big deal. And being able to lead the country is huge. We will try to keep that up."
 

The Canes have 17 different players that have combined for 35 tackles for loss over three games. Redshirt senior defensive lineman Gerald Willis leads the Canes with 7.0, while sophomore defensive lineman Jonathan Garvin has 6.0. 
 
"It starts with the style of play here," defensive line coach Jess Simpson said. "We talk about getting our feet across the line of scrimmage, running off the ball, never void of fundamentals – for the most part, our guys have done that really well. We can obviously do it even better. That's kind of our mindset and where we start from. That's ground zero for us."
 
Many assume that Miami is racking up tackles for loss because it is constantly blitzing, but defensive coordinator Manny Diaz assures that the Canes' success has nothing to do with trickery or exotic blitz schemes.
 
"We blitz very infrequently…it's not a ton this year," Diaz said. "We always are accused of blitzing more than we actually do because we play so downhill. Mike Pinckney made a tackle for loss last week for a seven- or eight-yard loss on a running play that looked like a blitz, but it's not. The gap opened, he read 'run' and shot in there before the lineman could get him. Our guys want to play downhill. We want to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage. When you've got guys like Gerald that are causing disruption amongst the offensive line, it's easy for the linebackers to find cracks in there to get TFLs."
 

Willis and Garvin have been especially impressive in 2018. In the first two seasons under Diaz and his defensive coaching staff, Miami had a total of six individual game performances of at least 3.0 tackles for loss. The Canes already have four such games in 2018 – two by Willis and two by Garvin.
 
"It means we're doing what we're supposed to do because that's a goal we set and we're achieving it," Garvin said. "All we have to do is keep being in our playbook, being in film study, and keep doing what we're supposed to do so we can make it happen." 
 
Diaz has been very impressed with Willis, who will serve as team captain for the second time in four games when the Canes face off against FIU on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Hard Rock Stadium. He leads the ACC and ranks fourth nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 2.3 per game.
 
"Gerald is playing as good as anybody we've had here, for sure," Diaz said. "He has always been quick and disruptive, but he's playing so strong and physical at the point of attack. You've got to give some credit to Jess Simpson and the way he is working with all of our guys on the defensive line. Our TFL [tackles for loss] numbers and sack numbers are all spread out among a big group of people, but Gerald certainly leads the charge."
 

Willis' success has been pushing his fellow defensive linemen to try and match his performances. The internal motivation has resulted in consistent excellence on Saturdays.
 
"We make it a big part, especially, not just on the defense or on the team, but especially on the D-line to kind of fire each other up," bethel said. "And you know, guys seeing him do that is like, 'okay, I got to get him now. I have got to compete with him now.' And I think that is a big part about pushing each other."
 
Other defensive linemen have benefitted from Willis' dominance, as teams are forced to try and double-team him and that opens opportunities for the rest of the talented players to wreak havoc in the backfield. Garvin has noticed teams have begun adding more layers to their protection schemes to try and slow the charging Hurricane defenders.
 
"What everyone likes to do is not leave any of us with one-on-one matchups since the first game," Garvin said. "Since the first game, they did that once and regretted it. It won't just be double teams on him."  
 

While Willis has been the headliner, the Canes have gotten plenty of disruption in the opposing backfield from a variety of defensive linemen.
 
"Joe Jackson has played really, really hard and been really, really solid," Simpson said. "Jonathan Garvin has done a super job and is a rising star. He could really be a great player. He cares about the game, it's important to him. Some of those other young guys have done a good job as well."
 
Sophomore Jonathan Ford and freshman Nesta Jade Silvera are two other young linemen that have caught the attention of their defensive line coach. Simpson loves how well the 6-foot-5, 300 lb. Ford is moving and penetrating and is encouraged with the growth Silvera has shown since he arrived on campus over the summer.
 
"I've seen a guy who's hungry and wants to learn, who knows he has a lot to learn but has had a great attitude about it," Simpson said of SIlvera. "I always talk about getting one percent better. If you look at his progression through camp, you can slowly see him starting to climb and do things a little bit better every day. That's what ball is – the details of learning how to do the fundamentals, the details of the fundamentals and being able to take those drills to the field and being able to execute in those 11-on-11 situations."

Comments

[BigWindyCane]

HawaiiCane has a great list of people who define what it is to play defense for the Canes. I love that list

[SOUP]

Did someone say Rohan?

This feature article, the third in our three part series, is based on an EXCLUSIVE Canespace interview with Rohan Marley...
-
AM: So how intense were those practices?
-
Rohan: "There's no friends in practice, this is serious. It's a war, it's war. You better hold your position because there's a guy underneath you that might be just as good, or might be a little better next year. You don't walk on Greentree Practice field, you run. There's no standing still. We run, we tackle, we hit, we sweat. These no quitting on Greentree practice field, there's no quitters out there. Lion's, all lion's on the Serengeti; we run like deer and hit like a freight trains."

[SOUP]

More Rohan, Vintage 2007, on Canespace:

As a linebacker at UM in the early 90's Rohan set the tone for the team when it came to sacrifice, Marleyeffort, tenacity and laying the lumber. When he was on the field you just knew the Canes were only one play away from the next big hit that would a change a game and put fear in the other team's offensive players. Don't believe me? Read it now, straight from the Legend himself, Rohan Marley...

AM: So what drew you to playing for the Miami Hurricanes?

-

Rohan: I always knew I was going to be a Miami Hurricane. I wanted to play for the best team in the world. I grew up watching them play UF and FSU, it would get so intense watching them I'd jump through the ceiling after a big play. Robert Bailey and I use to hang out when I was in 11th grade, he'd pick me up Ummarylandand bring me by his apartment. I remember Russell Maryland [Bailey's roommate] pointing at this really big guy on the couch, telling me "That's the next great Defensive Tackle to come from UM. He was pointing at Cortez Kennedy."

[SOUP]

Rohan: "Being a Hurricane is great, but now you gotta put the work in. You have to seek out Cortez Kennedy, Tiger Clark, Horace Copeland, George Mira Jr, Gino Torretta. These guys LOVE the Hurricanes. They instill that love in you. They don't play around on the field. I remember Shannon Crowell telling me, "Now listen, you're a Hurricane now, you get on the field and play with reckless abandon. RECKLESS ABANDON! You play with a complete disregard for your body".

[solarcane]

Went back and dug this one out of the best Cane hits of all time you tube vault
This is the real bad intent Canes stuff

https://youtu.be/3ojFN8G5K48

[SOUP]

Rohan: "I'll tell you about one play from the CFL. My first game playing, the Quarterback scrambles I was on the weak side, he scrambles to the strong side. I drop into the curl, he started to break out of the backfield. So I'm running at 90 MPH, and I'm saying [to myself], I'm gonna kill him. In my mind I'm not gonna throw down, I'm gonna run right through him. I don't care I'm gonna finish him. Five yards before I got to the QB he steps out of bounds. Well it left me one-on-one a 6'7" 350 pound lineman, and you know what I had to do him...I HAD TO FINISH HIM. I said you know what I'm hitting somebody. I HIT HIM SO HARD I KNOCKED HIM OUT! I almost knocked myself out too. I didn't really get knocked out, but I was kind of disoriented. As I tried to get up off the ground, I had no coordination, I was like what's going on? I'm telling myself "Rohan, you better get up before his guy gets up." I'm fighting just to get up and then I look out of the corner of my eye and see the ref calling for the stretcher. The guy is out, he's sleeping. I knocked him out cold. I said I'm OK, shook it off, and I crawled over to the side and jogged off the field, saying to myself, “Job well done Rohan.”

[SOUP]

AM: Speaking of hitting, what was your technique, most running backs were heavier.

-

Rohan: I wanted to knock you out pure and simple. I didn't want to hurt you, like hit your knees or anything. I WANTED TO HIT YOU IN THE MOUTH. I want to bend your facemask. My job is to get there and annihilate you. I don't want to ankle tackle you I wanted to hit you in the face. Oh, I enjoy when I hit you, my eyes would water up. I enjoyed that tingle you get. I use to feel like I could run through a car. I felt like I could go through anything. It's the power that's inside you."

"Nobody can run sideways on Canes. If they try to run a toss and the fullback is leading the running back the first Linebacker has to spill the play back into the pursuit. I come up underneath take the fullback with my inside shoulder and force the running back deeper into the backfield. You spill the play to the belly, back into the middle linebacker, and 10 angry men!"

[SOUP]

AM: So who do you think you hit the hardest?

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Rohan: "In Wide-Right 2 I hit William Floyd so hard he jumped up not knowing where he was. I remember cracking Christian Furia from Colorado. I remember them getting me on a fake the first half, the second time I nearly took his head off. But go ask [UM teammate] Donnell Bennett who hit him the hardest!"

[solarcane]

Great stuff soup, that was fun talking to Rohan on here back then he is a real humble gracious guy, good job!

[SOUP]

AM: So how did you end up with #2?

Rohan: "Charlie Pharms had it and told me I had be in on every tackle in the toilet bowl. First couple of plays were run plays, I came in from the CB position. I loved to hit. I hit Warren Sapp, I hit everyone in that game."

AM: Who made you a Linebacker?

Rohan: "My first day of practice Coach Soldinger moved me to LB, I thought I was a decent CB. Linebacker? So I go 7-on-7 and it's run, run, run all run. Oh, man I'm eating it up, they couldn't block me. I move up to 2nd string, they still couldn't block me! End of story."

"After practice, I'm coming back to the locker room and Warren Sapp says to me, "Rohan they were fucking with you, you should have always been a LB!"

[SOUP]

BEST QUOTES:

"Lion's, all lion's on the Serengeti; we run like deer and hit like a freight trains."

"You spill the play to the belly, back into the middle linebacker, and 10 angry men!"

"Now listen, you're a Hurricane now, you get on the field and play with reckless abandon. RECKLESS ABANDON! You play with a complete disregard for your body".

[Herbieibis]

It would be nice if our LB's would be that nasty. Imagine Rat and Shawn Taylor playing at the same time.

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Geez, I hope this offer to a MS safety isnt a very bad sign on Battle, Stevenson and Richards. Recruiting isnt where it needs to be.

[Old Skool]

Good write up Soup

[Herbieibis]

Dude,
If u notice the difference in last year's star studded class and this year's verbals, there's big difference in star power. This year's class looks like a filler class, as in depth. We need slot of help along the Dee line after this year. Willis, Tito and probably Joe Jack will be gone. Tariq Martin will probably Transfer out. I thought for sure this class would follow in the footsteps of last year's class but that is not looking like that is going to happen. I see a couple of reaches that to me they could of offered later on, if all else failed. We'll probably get Braylon Edwards, who will play DT for us and is 4 star and Chris Bogle who is a DE at a 4. The TE's we are going after will be tough pulls. Stevenson, is a Geogia lean as of right now. We should pull Evan Neal at OT. The class could be really good if we can get those guys plus McIntosh and Richards. The 2 areas I think we will fall short on will be QB and DB. The DB's only because of the star quality.

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Posted by: Herbieibis | September 20, 2018 at 11:36 PM

I'd like to have at least 3 of those guys committed already, namely Neal, Braylen Ingraham and Stevenson... but none of those names are a guarantee right now. Richards looks like Auburn and McIntosh is going to Oklahoma. So many local CBs arent coming also. Hopefully we start closing some of these kids down, but I'm not feeling it this year.

[WWIN]

Posted by: His Majesty The Dude on High | September 20, 2018 at 10:50 PM

Hate to break it to ya but the honeymoon is over!

In the words of a very wise man... "the thrill is gone" - B.B. King

[SOUP]

U guys crack me up about 'cruitin.

Haven't U read what Go Canes is posting?

We are great, we are getting better, we have a great coach, our facilities rock, etc., etc., etc.

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Posted by: WWIN | September 21, 2018 at 12:41 AM

Lets see where beating FSU & VT get us. Perhaps we can get back into a big bowl... but yeah... seems like the cool factor is fading on the trail. We need starting OTs, playable DTs & DEs & DBs. The elite talents are slow playing us, although maybe thats good, maybe that means they want us to do well?

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Posted by: SOUP | September 21, 2018 at 01:07 AM

4* RB McIntosh, bro of R.J. slow playing us
4* ATH Richards, bro of Ahmmon, slow playing us
4* OT Neal, Cleveland Gary's cousin slow playing
4* DBs committing left and right, meanwhile we are going for measurable guys.
Flags are going up, maybe not red ones, but some yellow flags for sure.

[BigWindyCane]

Thanks for the Rohan Marley quotes, Soup! True Cane and a warrior

[Go Canes!!]

Posted by: SOUP | September 21, 2018 at 01:07 AM

I think you have me confused with someone else.

All I do is cut and paste recruiting info I see on Twitter.

Only guy I’ve said is a must get is Neal the LT.

[TonyCane]

This one is a head scratcher. I’ve been sounding the alarm on the 2019 class for some time but have been told not to worry, that the swath of 3 star kids are better than Golden’s army of 3 star recruits, or that they would inflate to 4 stars during their senior year.

Here’s what I think has happened:
1) Cool factor isn’t the thing. We didn’t have a surge in 2019 commits in Nov or Dec.
2) FSU and Florida have new coaches, which bring hope and new life. 2019 will be the first true recruiting classes for both, and they key represent peak classes for both. For instance, Golden’s highest ranked class was his 2012 class. So we face unique headwinds there. It’s not often that both of our primary instate recruiting rivals are in a year 2 situation
3) Our 2020 class, while smaller, was more weighted towards 4 star players the last time I checked. So 2019 may truly be an anomaly

[raizecane]

i need a ride to the game from orlando...anybody going and coming back the same day.....i will pay for the gas and tolls....email me at jvcanes@aol.com

Posted by: john vermillion | September 20, 2018 at 06:06 PM

*************************************

Both Soup and I are in Orlando. I am North and he is South but I am unable to attend the game this weekend.

[WWIN]

Posted by: His Majesty The Dude on High | September 21, 2018 at 01:29 AM

I don't think it matters... our biggest problems now are bama, Georgia, and Ohio state cherry picking our players and they're all rolling right now

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Posted by: WWIN | September 21, 2018 at 09:52 AM

I dont think its time to completely call 2019 a failure, but some cracks are starting to show. Miami is in a good place with about a dozen really great players (although really, we should have half of them signed up already), and needs to close about 10 of them, especially the OL, DL and DB blue chips. We havent closed well as of late and we really need to get on a roll, else the cherry picking really starts to eat away at us.

[solarcane]

I don't think it matters... our biggest problems now are bama, Georgia, and Ohio state cherry picking our players and they're all rolling right now

Posted by: WWIN | September 21, 2018 at 09:52

This

[WWIN]

Posted by: His Majesty The Dude on High | September 21, 2018 at 10:06 AM

Canes fans better hope this staff can find diamonds in the ruff with these 3☆ players or at least be able to develop them... cuz you can forget about have a class full of 4☆ and 5☆ recruits.

[WWIN]

Posted by: SOUP | September 21, 2018 at 01:07 AM

I think you have me confused with someone else.

All I do is cut and paste recruiting info I see on Twitter.

Only guy I’ve said is a must get is Neal the LT.

Posted by: Go Canes!! | September 21, 2018 at 03:31 AM

Yeah Soup that doesn't sound like Go Canes at all! 😉😉😉

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

This staff has done decent with 3* players. Pinkney, Young, Jaquan, Bethel & Garvin come to mind.

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Also, some of the 3* players we have committed, like RB Crowley is a legit stud, and those that we are going for like 3* DB Nunn, is a total stud.

[Go Canes!!]

Think with the explosion of social media, camps galore, multiple all star games and the fact every team is on TV every single week, kids today seem to have zero hesitation about leaving.

We are going to be locked in recruting battles every year for every top kid and they are going to continue to get their share.

We just have to increase the percentage of battles we win if we are going to get to the next level.

Best way we are going to do that is having guys like Quartermann, Joe Jackson, Garvin, Pope, Blades, Ivey, Frierson, Donaldson, Jaquan and the rest continue to play early and at a high level, then keep developing.

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Thats not to say I think all of the 3* kids are gonna be great. It seems our staff prioritizes certain measurables over how polished a kid is right now, they are really banking on where a kid might be a couple of years down the line... or maybe theyre just getting their butts kicked out there on the trail.

p.s. 3 different "theres" in that last sentence.

[canezilla]

or maybe theyre just getting their butts kicked out there on the trail.

p.s. 3 different "theres" in that last sentence.

Posted by: His Majesty The Dude on High | September 21, 2018 at 11:48 AM
GREAT NOW I HAVE A HEADACHE!!

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Posted by: Go Canes!! | September 21, 2018 at 11:46 AM

Richt hired a bunch of guys with zero reputation, and who can say why for certain? It seems like a gamble and some of their growing pains have been glaring and obvious, like Rumph's depth chart, however the same could be said of Kul's and he has arguably the best reputation in CF... didnt help his recruiting. Thats not to pile on Richt, in my book he has gotten adequate results thus far, and I expect to see us win 10 games and the Coastal again. He will get his time because he keeps doing well enough. The problem is/will be getting over the next hurdle and fixing depth and caliber so the entire team looks like the WRs and RBs. Its not inconceivable that those 2 groups are just a year or 2 ahead of schedule, and that the rest of the team will get there in a couple more seasons. As Ive said from the very beginning with Richt, we hired him for what he can do over the long haul on his terms. He wants to stack chip players and be a big bad bully program, but Im not sure how we do that without landing legit OTs & DTs every year, or elite DBs in our own backyard.

[thirstybuzzardcane]

but I am unable to attend the game this weekend.

Posted by: raizecane | September 21, 2018 at 08:51 AM

Boooooooooo!!!!

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Posted by: canezilla | September 21, 2018 at 11:54 AM

😂

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Think of how much better the D would be if we had another CB on Mike Jack & Bandy's level. Young was a solid CB, but we should have had 1 more from that cycle... now we have JUCO's and transfers out there getting smoked on the regular. This is a result of getting beaten on the trail for CBs in the 1st 2 years. 1 CB in 2016 (Young), then 1 FR CB in 2017 (Bandy). Thankfully, Rumph had a very decent haul last year. My dream now is to convince Dent to come to Miami, along with Couch and 1 more perhaps to redshirt.

1. **** JR Bandy
2. **** SO Blades or Frierson
(One of them might move to safety)
3. **** SO Ivey
4. *** RFR Bethel
5. ***** FR Dent
6. **** FR Couch
7. *** FR Brownlee

Thats starting to look like the depth/talent we need. I could see Bandy staying for his SR because of his size.

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Really its that 2020 year where things finally have 2 playable Juniors though, which should be the position goal at every spot in terms of depth.

[CGNC]

Great blog article BTW.

I remember when Rohan would come on the blog WITH us.

Solar, the snow bra? Would that be the one I used to make the Canespace Snow Woman? LOL, I remember that - freezing cold out there that day.

[CGNC]

Roll call for FIU:

CGNC +1 LOL

[solarcane]

CG yea that was the one. You were years ahead of everybody else on articles to inspire young men

[solarcane]

FSU fans blogging about their ladies soccer team, Tarheel fans blogging about basketball recruiting, life is good

[solarcane]

https://youtu.be/Mw_5N4dGkHg

Amari Carter shades of Rohan

[WWIN]

This staff has done decent with 3* players. Pinkney, Young, Jaquan, Bethel & Garvin come to mind.

Posted by: His Majesty The Dude on High | September 21, 2018 at 11:43 AM

If you say so lol!

Pinkney hasn't gotten any better since freshman year. Young only played 2yrs and never turned his head around once. Jaquan had one good year. What has Bethel done? Garvin is the only exception on this list.

[SinisterCane]

CorcMR is a JAG

[SinisterCane]

I Blame Fake James for not having the balls to outbid LSU for their DB coach/DC. It was at moment knew it would be more of the same with this Admin. Asked yourself would Dave Aranda hire a Fuqin clown show of JAG defensive coaches that exist at tha U

[Go Canes!!]

Everyone suck and no one is getting better ever!!

[TonyCane]

I have two FSU alumni at work that I am friends with. They are perplexed at the moment with Taggart.

[His Majesty The Dude on High]

Posted by: WWIN | September 21, 2018 at 06:41 PM

Pinkney hasnt gotten better? Okay. I'm not saying he's the best LB in the ACC, but he makes a lot of big plays. Youre being way too critical. He was a 3* that has turned out to be decent and a leader on the D.

Young is another solid player, again not elite, but made plenty of plays and TOs. A few times he gives up a TD as a FR or SO and you just gonna toss him away? Overly critical.

Jaquan... LMFAO. Best safety in the ACC. Just stop it. Now you hating for the sake of it. Captain of the defense.

Bethel went from 3* DE, to 300 DT, starting and is solid as a JR. He's probably limited as a player, but they are getting the most out of him.

You are waaaaay too critical of those players. Weve come a long way and we'll see where we go from here. It almost seems like you think we should win a title already, as if we hired Saban?