The much-anticipated duel at quarterback between Stephen Morris, a backup the last two years, and Memphis transfer Ryan Williams has not developed in the spring because Morris is not taking part in the drills.
He had back surgery in the offseason and is spending his time "coaching" on the sidelines and calling plays in the huddle.
But Williams is taking advantage of the extra reps he is getting and had a big day in Miami's first scrimmage, completing 14 of 21 passes for 228 yards and four touchdowns.
Williams actually will go into fall camp with more starting experience than Morris. Morris had one start last year when incumbent Jacory Harris was suspended for the opener, and he started four games in 2010 when Harris was hurt.
Williams, who sat out last season, started 10 games as a true freshman in 2010, completing 165 of 290 passes for 2,075 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He left Memphis when the Tigers coaching staff decided to change its offense.
"They wanted to go to a more spread-oriented offense with a dual-threat type quarterback," said Williams, who is 6-6, 225. "I'm more of a pocket passer. I'm not going to be able run zone reads and stuff like that."
When Williams left, his choice for a new school came down to Miami and Arkansas. He chose Miami to be nearer his South Florida home. He graduated from Miramar High in Broward County after spending his first three years at Plantation's American Heritage High.
NOTES, QUOTES
--RBs Mike James and Eduardo Clements are engaging in a spirited competition for the starting job vacated by the early departure of Lamar Miller. James had a 55-yard run and scored three touchdowns in the first major scrimmage, but Clements, a third-down specialist in 2011, had 18 carries and one touchdown.
--Coach Al Golden and his staff caused a bit of a flap in some media outlets when they put out a flyer around campus seeking any student 6-1 and 230-plus pounds to contact the team about becoming an offensive lineman. Miami New Times, which usually involves itself in civic and entertainment coverage, noted that "this does not strike us as Division-I behavior."
The report apparently didn't strike Golden as showing much in the way of football knowledge.
"I think it's laughable that people are making a big deal about that," Golden said. "Every football program in the country looks for walk-ons from the student body. The hope is that you find one or two that will help us."
--Who will start at quarterback will get the most attention, but the issues in the secondary and at linebacker will go a long way to deciding how Miami will fare in 2012. The Hurricanes must get solid play out of their corners and come up with more interceptions than the six they had last season.
SPRING MOVERS
RB Eduardo Clements -- Clements may or may not beat out Mike James for the starting job but has demonstrated he can be more than just the third-down back he has been his first two years.
WR Rashawn Scott -- Scott had a big scrimmage (five catches) and looks to compete for a starting role in the fall. He has shown good speed in early sessions. He showed breakaway speed on one long touchdown catch. He played in six games last year before being injured.
DE Shayon Green -- After battling injuries that limited him to four games last year, Green is showing signs he could make a big difference up front in 2012.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
2012 OUTLOOK: Miami is looking to do a lot of rebuilding after losing not only seniors like QB Jacory Harris and LB Sean Spence from 2012 but six early NFL draft entrants, like RB Lamar Miller and WR Tommy Streeter. Coach Al Golden is hoping to reduce the number of mistakes that plagued the Hurricanes in his first season, but that may not be enough to make Miami a contender in the ACC. Just too many issues at wide receiver and all over on defense have to be resolved in a positive manner for that to happen.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: With Harris gone, the Hurricanes will be looking at a new starter at quarterback. The Hurricanes have an experienced offensive line returning and look set at running back even with the loss of Miller with Mike James and Eduardo Clements stepping in. But depth is thin at wide receiver. The Hurricanes will look to get the tight ends more involved in the passing game this year.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: There is some experience on defense with SS Vaughn Telemaque, DE Anthony Chickillo, DT Darius Smith, LB Kelvin Cain, LB Denzil Perryman, and FS Ray-Ray Armstrong, but depth is an issue. CB Brandon McGee returns as a starter, but other than that, the situation at corner is critical.
SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: PK Jake Wieclaw (11-of-14 on field goals in 2012) and P Dalton Botts (42.7 average) are solid kickers. WR Phillip Dorsett looks to be the primary man in the return game for both kickoffs and punt runbacks.
TOP NEWCOMERS
CB Tracy Howard -- Out of Miramar, Fla., the five-star prospect could provide a big boost to the secondary when he reports in the fall.
RB Duke Johnson -- Out of Miami's Norland High, Johnson is only 5-9, 180, but looks to challenge for time at a position that needs depth.
CB LaDarius Gunter -- The transfer from Fort Dodge Community College in Kansas could play a big role in Miami's secondary in 2012. He has No. 1 on the depth chart midway through spring practice.
ROSTER REPORT
--LB Kelvin Cain was listed as a starter at defensive end going into Miami's second scrimmage. Coach Al Golden said that Cain, a junior, would be at outside linebacker if Miami "were a 3-4 team, but we're kind of a hybrid. We have been a hybrid and he's finding a home there. He's a kid who's going to 250 pounds plus. He is the 230s already and he's kept his weight down to play linebacker. But we'll continue to grow him."
--RB/DB Ray Lewis III, a junior from Lake Mary Prep in central Florida, has committed to Miami, according to several newspaper reports. If the name is familiar, it's because he is the son of former Hurricanes great and current Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
--DB Keion Payne, one of three players suspended at the start of spring practice, has been dismissed from the team. He played in just two games last season and started spring practice No. 2 on the depth start at a corner spot.
--RT Seantrel Henderson and LB Kelvin Cain, suspended at the start of spring drills, have returned to practice.
--DE Anthony Chickillo, a starter as a freshman last year, pulled a muscle and did not take part in the first major scrimmage and was expected to miss extended time.
--LG Jon Feliciano, who was moving from tackle, where he started eight games as a redshirt freshman in 2011, to guard, sustained a knee injury in the first major scrimmage on March 24 and was to be sidelined for the rest of spring drills.
--CB Brandon McGee, a starter last year but listed as third team going into the spring following offseason workouts, quickly moved back to No. 1 on the depth chart.
--LB Denzel Perryman, who had five starts at outside linebacker in 2011, has been moved to the No. 1 spot at middle linebacker, which is where he played in Miami's nickel defensive scheme.
--S A.J. Highsmith, who began his collegiate career in 2009 as a backup quarterback, had earned a starting spot in the secondary midway through spring drills.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We didn't get enough interceptions from the cornerback
position. We weren't physical enough. We couldn't play enough man to
anybody's liking -- too much free access for receivers. And that's got
to change." -- Coach Al Golden, on the problems Miami had in the
secondary last season when CB Brandon McGee had the only interception
among cornerbacks.
