Stepping Up in the Secondary

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Meesh Powell has played in more than a few big games.

A redshirt senior who transferred to Miami after five seasons at Washington, he was part of a Huskies team that not only earned a berth in the College Football Playoff last year but finished the season as the national runner-up.

In three years, Powell totaled 92 tackles, four tackles for loss and three interceptions while at Washington and brought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience when he arrived in Coral Gables earlier this year.

Still, it didn’t take long for the veteran defensive back to pick up the phone and reach out to someone he knew could help him quickly adjust to the Hurricanes’ defensive system.

“Kam Kinchens, you know, I talk to him all the time and just ask for advice, what he thinks, how he does [things] in the post,” Powell said of the former Miami All-American who is now navigating his first NFL training camp with the Los Angeles Rams. “I think he had like 10, 12 total career [interceptions]. He has his name up there [in the rafters]. I’m trying to have my name up there as well.”

As the Hurricanes continue making their way through preseason camp, Powell is one of several defensive backs cross training in the secondary and working to build chemistry on a unit that lost not only Kinchens, but fellow starting safety James Williams after both opted to start their professional careers.

The defensive backs group – which also includes Damari Brown, Jaden Harris, Daryl Porter, Jr. and Jadais Richard, among others – will have its first opportunity to see just how much progress it’s made during the first week of practice when the Hurricanes take the field Saturday for a live scrimmage.

In that scrimmage, those defenders will face off against not only an experienced group of receivers, but the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, too: Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.

It’s a challenge the defensive backs are happily embracing and one they know will only help them prepare for Miami’s Aug. 31 season opener against rival Florida.

“Everybody’s excited in the building. That’s the first time we get to actually play hard-nosed football,” said Richard, a junior who totaled 14 tackles for the Hurricanes last season. “So, everybody’s excited for Saturday.”

Said Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry, “I want to see them play hard, execute the defense and be good tacklers. We know we’re going to give up some plays, because [the offense] has good players too, but it’s how we respond. Offensively, I know it’s the same. They’re going to give up some plays against us, but [offensive coordinator Shannon] Dawson’s going to want to see them respond. As long as you have some back and forth going on, then you feel good. If it’s just lopsided, then the other group’s got to come back the next time we go against each other.”

For the better part of the last week, coaches and players say that back-and-forth has been pretty even, though the secondary has managed to force a few turnovers.

“This is one of the best incoming groups I’ve ever seen,” veteran receiver Xavier Restrepo said of the secondary. “The guys are flying around, making plays on both sides of the ball, giving us really good competition [and] really good looks.”

That’s given the defensive backs a dose of confidence. But none of them say they’re satisfied with how they’ve played early.

They know there is still work to do, be it in terms of improving on technique or finding ways to lead, on and off the field.

“I feel like as a group, we’re all just getting better. I would say that I’ve taken a step forward as far as being a leader in the spring and in the summertime,” said Harris, a redshirt sophomore who appeared in 10 games last season, started two and had seven tackles. “Just trying to lead these guys with my experience and help out the young guys. So, I just focused on leading the group as best as I can and putting my best days forward to lead the group by example.”

Said Powell, “We’re coming together great. We’re really jelling. In the springtime, but I think the summer offseason was great and not just during workouts, but we hang out outside of this facility right here and I think that’s kind of the important thing, you know, getting to know each other, know each other’s stories. You know what people’s ceilings are, how to push their buttons in the right ways and how to push each other. So, I think that was kind of the most important thing over the summertime, us jelling and hanging out and finding each other’s strengths and weaknesses, being able to come on the field and communicate and be comfortable calling each other out because we’re all brothers on the field. We know we all want each other to be great.”

And while some of Miami’s veteran defensive backs continue looking to set an example for their younger teammates, those teammates will continue trying to make a big impression.

Already freshmen like Zaquan Patterson, Dylan Day and OJ Frederique have earned praise from their teammates and coaches.

The hope, Guidry says, is they’ll continue developing and work their way into the rotation to give the Hurricanes more depth in the secondary as that season opener inches ever closer.

“I’ve seen some of the young corners step up, especially OJ Frederique. He’s been a good surprise. And then of course, Brown’s a little bit healthier. In the spring, he was injured a little bit, so we’ve seen some good things out of him. Porter’s been here for a while and also Richard, so they’re good. But we’re trying to create more depth. … just trying to get the young guys caught up to speed. … At the corner position, I feel like we’re creating depth.

“At the safety position, Zaquan Patterson and Dylan Day are making strides, which is good. And then the same guys up top, Meesh Powell and of course, Harris and Markeith Williams. So, we’ve got some guys to pick from. I think the caboose is starting to get stronger, which is good. The more guys you can play in real plays, the better you are.”