Blog from first spring Canes football practice: Who’s here, who’s not, portal news, more
Mario Cristobal ushered in the second year of his program on Saturday by overseeing the first of 15 spring football practices.
We’ll chronicle all the highlights in our live blog from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Please keep checking back for more.
11 a.m. update: Tight end Kahlil Brantley has become the 21st player to part ways with UM since the 2021 season ended. He entered the transfer portal, after appearing in 10 games and catching five passes for 28 yards in his two seasons at Miami.
His departure leaves the Canes with six scholarship tight ends: Elijah Arroyo, Jaleel Skinner, Dom Mammarelli, Oregon transfer Cam McCormick and freshmen Riley Williams and Jackson Carver. All six of those players are eligible for spring practice.
Arroyo wasn’t spotted. McCormick lined up with the starters.
11:01 a.m. update: Alabama transfer Javion Cohen, the expected starting left guard, did not attend UM’s first spring practice. He’s at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, attending a symposium for NFL underclassman who are likely to be drafted in 2024 or beyond.
11:05 update: Left tackle Zion Nelson was not spotted at UM’s first spring practice; he reportedly continues to be dealing with the impact of a knee injury that sidelined him most of last season.
UM lined up with this offensive line to start practice: Jalen Rivers at left tackle, Laurance Seymore at left guard, UCF transfer Matt Lee at center, Anez Cooper at right guard and Chris Washington at right tackle.
Though Rivers has played primarily guard for UM, the Canes moved him to tackle Saturday instead of starting one of their five-star freshmen offensive tackles, Samson Okunlola and Francis Mauigoa, with the first group. Both of those five-star freshmen worked with the second team.
11:10 update: Isiaiah Horton, the second-year receiver who has impressed in offseason workouts, lined up with the second team offense, along with Brashard Smith and freshman Robby Washington.
Xavier Restrepo, Colbie Young and Jacolby George were first team receivers.
11:20 update: Here are the numbers assigned to UM freshmen who have enrolled:
QB Emory Williams: 17
LB Bobby Washington: also 17
DE Reuben Bain: 44
DE Jayden Wayne: 18
DE Collins Acheampong: 96
LB Malik Bryant: 24
OL Francis Mauigoa: 61
OL Samson Okunlola: 63
OL Antonio Tripp: 71
WR Nathaniel Joseph: 5
WR Robby Washington: 12
Safety Kaleb Spencer: 23
Tight end Riley Williams: 88
Tight end Jackson Carver: 85
Punter Dylan Joyce: 94
11:21 update: Here are the jersey numbers for the transfer additions:
DL Branson Deen: 58
DL Thomas Gore: 59
LB Francisco Mauigoa: 51
OL Matt Lee: 55
OL Javion Cohen: 70
CB Davonte Brown: 7
CB Terry Roberts: 25
TE Cam McCormick: 84
11:22 update: Returning players who changed jersey numbers and their new numbers:
DE Akheem Mesidor (3), WR Brashard Smith (0), safety Kamren Kinchens (5), Akheem Mesidor (3), receiver Colbie Young (4), DE Nyjalik Kelly (9), cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. (2), cornerback Te’Cory Couch (0) safety Kamren Kinchens (5), receiver Michael Redding (13), and safety Markeith Williams (15).
11:22 update: Quarterback Peyton Matocha is officially off the roster, as expected.
11:26 update: Despite a report that defensive analyst and cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke might leave the program, he was on the field Saturday, helping with defensive backs.
11:28 update: Nelson, Arroyo, running back Tre’Vonte Citizen (running back) and James Williams (safety) were not spotted at practice. Citizen is coming off last season’s major knee injury. Williams had shoulder surgery after the season and is expected back this summer.
Freshman receiver Nathaniel Joseph was wearing a red non-contact jersey.
11:35 update: Jacurri Brown took second-team quarterback snaps behind Tyler Van Dyke. Freshman Emory Williams is the other scholarship quarterback on the roster.
Quarterback Aristides Angelo, from Miami LaSalle High, joined the team as a walk-on quarterback. So did Jayden George, a fifth-year junior from Indiana who previously played at Alabama and Bowling Green.
11:40: Corey Flagg and Wesley Bissainthe are the first-team linebackers. Washington State transfer Francisco Mauigoa will try to overtake Flagg at middle linebacker.
Beyond Flagg and Bissainthe, UM has four other linebackers with game experience: Mauigoa, Keontra Smith, Ryan Ragone and Chase Smith.
11:50 update: Freshman Kaleb Spencer is working with the safeties. He came to UM as a safety/linebacker hybrid.
11:55: Don Chaney Jr., uninjured in a car accident last month, looks fine. He’s the second-team back behind Henry Parrish, at least for the first session of the first practice.
12:10: Running back Christopher Johnson and cornerback Damari Brown, who haven’t yet enrolled, watched practice.
1:15 update: Mario Cristobal said Leonard Taylor is going to miss all of spring will be will be ready by March. Akheem Mesidor has a minor injury that will sideline him for all of spring.
Flagg is dealing with a foot injury. Zion Nelson is still working to return to health after last year’s knee injury.
1:30 p.m.: Cristobal said Jason Taylor and Joe Salave’a will both have titles of defensive line coach.
