Miami Hurricanes fall practice kicks off today: 5 keys to watch

The Miami Hurricanes begin fall practice today, and it’s a much different-looking group than the one that finished 5-7 a year ago. Coach Mario Cristobal added 14 transfers, several of whom are likely to start – OG Javion Cohen and C Matt Lee, LB Franciso Mauigoa and perhaps WR Tyler Harrell and CB Jaden Davis along with others.

Cristobal also brought in 25 true freshmen, including some that should start or at least have big roles – in particular OTs Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola, RB Mark Fletcher, WR Ray Ray Joseph and DL Rueben Bain.

You add up the transfers and freshmen and that’s almost half of the overall scholarship limit (39 of the 85 players).

We will have you fully covered from practice so be sure to check back to the site, and here are five big keys to look for on Day 1 of drills today:

5. DEPTH CHART

As always it’s interesting to glean what we can while watching drills to see any depth chart changes from the spring. In particular some battles we will have a keen eye on today and moving forward are at running back (Mark Fletcher vs. Henry Parrish in all likelihood), wide receiver (fairly open competition at both outside spots), backup QB (Jacurri Brown has to show more consistency with accuracy or he won’t be No. 2), starting LT (Jalen Rivers or Samson Okunlola?), DT (can Branson Deen hold onto the job with Jared Harrison-Hunte back healthy) and cornerback (wide open competition).

4. THE INJURED LIST

The expectation is that there won’t be many surprises in terms of missing players in practice No. 1 … but last year we had the same expectation and then several guys weren’t practicing. So this is going to be something to keep an eye on. What we do know at this point is that RB Tre’Vonte Citizen and DE Collins Acheampong will be out, and that OT Zion Nelson will be limited. Beyond that? Well, that’s what we’ll be keeping an eye on today.

3. THE FRESHMEN

This class is a big piece of the future for a Miami Hurricanes program desperate to return to the top of the nation. So how these young guys perform and how they look even in their first-ever UM fall practice can give some clues to the future. And several of these guys are likely to be called upon to play a lot of reps trying to help the Canes win games this year – OL Samson Okunlola and Francis Mauigoa, RB Mark Fletcher, WR Ray Ray Joseph and DL Rueben Bain, to name a few.

2. SIZE MATTERS

Miami in recent years hasn’t been the biggest, most physical or even most athletic team compared to programs in the nation’s top 10. And to get in the top 10 you have to be able to match up with those programs in those categories. So the off-season work that was put in will need to have paid off with that “bigger, faster, stronger” mantra. We’ll get our eyes on the group for ourselves to gauge how the team looks size-wise and athletically.

1. FLYING AROUND

Enthusiasm and want-to is a big part of football. We’ve seen teams not really going hard in practices in recent years at Miami, teams that just don’t really seem to want to be on the practice field. At times Greentree’s been quiet as a library, never a good sign. So we really want to see a team that’s excited to be out there, that is excited to compete, that embraces the work ethic and culture that Mario Cristobal is working to instill.

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