FIU Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up

Strengths

The offensive line, a group of young grasshoppers last year, looks much improved with a year of experience and physical growth. All five starters return from a group that went from pure spread blocking to blocking out of a one-back, double-tight end formation a good chunk of the time.

FIU started a walk-on freshman cornerback at one point last year. This year, with cornerback Richard Leonard probably academically eligible again and Ron Turner seeing maturity in long, fast Jeremiah McKinnon and former state track champion Wilkenson Myrtil, FIU’s got speed in the back. They also have angry muscle with strong safety Demarkus Perkins. Jordan Davis, at the other safety, also can hit. Ballhawk free safety and fashion model Justin Halley missed spring practice recovering from shoulder surgery.

Weaknesses

Kicking/punting/long snapping. Nobody’s shown enough consistency to grab any of the three jobs.

Running back depth. By the end of the spring game, FIU was down to two running backs. Last year’s plowhorse, Lamarq Caldwell, had to run with the third team in the spring game.

Breakout players

FIU QB Alex McGough

Freshman quarterback Alex McGough. This early enrollee out of Tampa Gaither worked his way up to some first team reps near the end of the spring game. Though giving away experience to E.J. Hilliard, McGough’s arm and presence could have him starting by midseason.

Nobody was around more balls this spring than sophomore-to-be cornerback Wilkenson Myrtil. And if he gets his hands on an interception or fumble, they probably won’t catch him. Small, but so was Sam Miller, FIU’s best cornerback in Leonard’s absence last year.

Grade each position group

Quarterback: C Good as McGough looked, much as Hilliard’s improved, it’s still a true freshman and a junior who’s played well only in spurts.

Running backs: C- Shane Coleman’s fast, Lamarq Caldwell is durable, Silas Spearman’s is the best pure runner. Beyond that are recovering injury questions (Anthon Samuel, Alonzo Randolph) and incoming freshmen.

Receivers B- Wide receiver Glenn Coleman, academically ineligible last season, and tight end Jonnu Smith, FIU’s leading receiver as a freshman last year, showed their prodigious talent again. The rest still look like a lot of guys that make you think “if only he could catch the ball consistently, wow…”

Offensive line B There were holes. And protection. Five starters back and it looked like it.

Defensive line C+ Defensvie tackle Imarjaye Albury won’t be Greg Hickman or Isame Faciane immediately. If end Denzell Perine’s injury wasn’t too bad, the pass rush should be OK. If everyone’s eligible, there should be some depth here. If not, uh-oh.

Linebackers C Especially after watching spring, we’re still not sure why Treyvon Williams isn’t starting over Luis Rosado at middle linebacker. FIU’s got range on the outside with Davison Colimon and Patrick Jean, but not great size.

Secondary B+ Somewhere, Al Davis nods at everything looking better when you’ve got your best cornerback. Richard Leonard’s return from ineligibility tops a list of fast corners and safeties Demarkus Perkins and Jordan Davis both get happy to hit. The QBs probably were happy to not see the safety with the best ball skills, Justin Halley and his bad shoulder, this spring.

Special teams D+ Let’s put it this way — when All-State punter Luke Medlock, recruited as a quarterback like his brother, transferred FIU starter Jake Medlock, gets to campus in August, he’ll likely be the most consistent kicker or punter on the roster. What prevents this from being a D- or F is Leonard, one of the nation’s best returners in 2012, and Coleman fielding punts and kickoffs.

What can we expect from FIU in 2014?

The rise from 1-11 starts with baby steps. 3-9.

David Neal of The Miami Herald provided information for our FIU Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up. For more FIU football analysis and commentary you can follow David on Twitter @DavidJNeal.