Position Preview | Defensive Backs
| POSITIONAL PREVIEWS |
| Defensive Backs |
| DEFENSIVE BACKS | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHO’S BACK? | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | YEAR | |||||||||||||
| 4 Jaquan Johnson | 5-11 | 190 | So. | |||||||||||||
| 6 Jamal Carter, Sr. | 6-1 | 215 | Sr. | |||||||||||||
| 21 Terrance Henley | 5-11 | 180 | So. | |||||||||||||
| 22 Sheldrick Redwine | 6-1 | 195 | So. | |||||||||||||
| 24 Josh Johnson | 5-5 | 155 | RJr. | |||||||||||||
| 26 Rayshawn Jenkins | 6-2 | 210 | RSr. | |||||||||||||
| 27 Ryan Mayes | 6-1 | 195 | RSo. | |||||||||||||
| 28 Michael Jackson | 6-1 | 200 | So. | |||||||||||||
| 29 Corn Elder | 5-10 | 180 | Sr. | |||||||||||||
| 32 Tyler Murphy | 5-8 | 180 | So. | |||||||||||||
| WHO’S NEW? | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | YEAR | |||||||||||||
| 12 Malek Young | 5-9 | 180 | Fr. | |||||||||||||
| 20 Robert Knowles | 6-1 | 195 | RFr. | |||||||||||||
| 25 Adrian Colbert | 6-2 | 205 | RSr. | |||||||||||||
| 30 Romeo Finley | 6-1 | 205 | Fr. | |||||||||||||
| 37 Jeff James Jr. | 6-1 | 185 | Fr. | |||||||||||||
| RETURNING LEADERS | |
 |
 |
| Corn Elder | Rayshawn Jenkins |
| STATISTICS | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | TT | SACK | INT | PBU | FR | FF | ||||||
| R. Jenkins | 13 | 52 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| J. Carter | 12 | 48 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| C. Elder | 13 | 41 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Ja. Johnson | 13 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
DEFENSIVE BACKS BY THE NUMBERS
4 – Miami has four returning defensive backs that recorded at least one interception last year.
3 – Rayshawn Jenkins led the returning Hurricanes with three interceptions.
2 – Corn Elder led all UM defensive backs with two sacks.
32 – Miami’s defensive backs had 32 of the Hurricanes’ 45 pass break ups a year ago, good for 71% of the team’s pass break ups.
THINGS TO KNOW
- Rayshawn Jenkins, Corn Elder, and Jaquan Johnson are the most experienced of the returning DBs, having played in all 13 games last year with Jenkins and Elder each starting seven.
- Corn Elder also spends time returning kicks, and returned both a kickoff and a punt return for touchdowns last year. Elder scored the touchdown at the conclusion of the miracle eight lateral kickoff return last year against Duke in Durham, NC.
- Miami’s +11 turnover margin ranked as the best mark in the ACC and the 10th-best mark in all of FBS during the 2015 season.
- Corn Elder tied for fifth in the ACC with 13 passes defended.
- Following Miami’s come from behind victory vs. Duke, Corn Elder received ACC Specialist of the Week honors.
TWEETABLES
Redshirt Senior Rayshawn Jenkins led all returning Canes DBs with 3 interceptions last season.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“They are fun to coach right now. I have Rayshawn Jenkins and his urgency is on a whole other level. He has bought in. Jamal Carter is an urgent guy and now I am teaching him how to understand the game and see it in terms of our back pedal school stuff. I feel like they really understand the game from an offensive prospective.” – Miami safeties coach Ephraim Banda on the safeties
“He’s doing excellent. I couldn’t be prouder of him. Coming out here, he’s looked like he’s played corner for a while now. The main thing he does is that on the deep ball he is typically over the top. He’s not going to get beat deep. He has tremendous speed and comfort playing the deep ball. I know he is going to add depth to [the cornerbacks] and special teams. And I know the main thing he does well is bring the senior leadership. Already the kids are understanding that he sets the tone on how we do things, him and Corn Elder.” – Miami cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph on senior DB Adrian Colbert
