CORAL GABLES — The Miami Hurricanes’ youth movement that coach Manny Diaz keeps saying is coming took another step forward in UM’s win over N.C. State last Saturday.
True freshman safety James Williams started in his fourth consecutive game, while second-year cornerback Marcus Clarke made his first college start in the matchup against the Wolfpack.
Other true freshmen (safety Kam Kinchens and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor) or second-year freshmen (cornerback Isaiah Dunson and defensive end Elijah Roberts) further established themselves on Miami’s defensive rotation after previously having more limited roles.
But those extra reps for the Hurricanes’ freshmen have come at the expense of playing time of their older players, and there hasn’t been a veteran player more affected by the shift in UM’s depth chart than fourth-year safety Gurvan Hall Jr.