Quarterback: B –
Jacory Harris only played the first half but made two ill-advised interceptions which simply cannot happen against an inferior team like FAMU. It was great to see him connect with his old high school teammate Tommy Streeter. A.J. Highsmith got his feet wet and looked comfortable in the offense although he was playing with the second string. He finished 3-for-3 with 38 yards passing.
Running Backs: A +
So Damien Berry dominated in something else other than the spring game. The fifth-string player saw his first action as running back and made a huge splash. He ran for 165 yards despite just 14 carries. He tacked on many yards after the first hit. Lee Chambers and Mike James also filled in nicely for injured Graig Cooper who was out with a lower extremity injury.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: A –
Leonard Hankerson continued to haul in some tough catches. Aldarius Johnson had an immediate impact on the Canes opening drive but was seen walking off the field in a sling nursing his sour right shoulder. Tommy Streeter made his first career catch.
Offensive Line: A
Harris was sacked twice but the first and second string offensive line opened up huge gaps in the run game for the second consecutive week. Credit must be given to offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.
Defensive Line: B+
Joe Joseph is a renaissance man. He had a team-high 3.5 tackles for a loss. The Canes had three sacks a team and held FAMU to just 3.4 yards per carry. There were numerous offside penalties.
Line Backers: B+
It was odd to see Arthur Brown not get playing time even when the game was a blowout. Jordan Futch made an impact has he had some electrifying hits.
Seconday: C+
Kudos to Brandon Harris for UM’s lone interception but there were more opportunities to be had. Too many times defensive backs dropped balls that hit them in the numbers. Sam Shields did look a lot better.
Special Teams: A+
Thearon Collier added a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown. Travis Benjamin had nice returns. Alex Uribe had booming kicks. Matt Bosher made his PATs and field goals. FAMU specialist LeRoy Vann was a non factor
Coaching: A
Randy Shannon managed the game properly and the Canes did not over look this weak opponent. He substituted players in properly and gave the second and third string a fair chance.
Justin Antweil may be contacted at jantweil@themiamihurricane.com