The Hurricanes filled the last open position on the football coaching staff, and they filled it with a name with major cache with South Florida sports fans.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor has been promoted to be Miami’s new defensive ends coach, a source told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Thursday. Taylor spent the last year as a defensive analyst at UM.
The Miami Dolphins legend takes over for Rod Wright, who recently left the program after one season to take a position with the Houston Texans. Miami has several new faces on the defensive coaching staff, starting with new defensive coordinator Lance Guidry. Miami also hired inside linebackers coach Derek Nicholson.
Taylor has spent one season in the college coaching ranks, joining Cristobal’s staff as an analyst before spring practices began last year.
“I enjoyed the whole thing,” Taylor said last May. “It was great. Working for Mario has been fantastic. He is as advertised. He’s intense. He’s determined. He’s focused. … I think he does a very good job. I know it’s my first time through the college ranks, coaching. We had a really good spring, and I think we’re trying to instill the culture. We’re building the culture and what Hurricane football should be and will be, hopefully, sooner rather than later.”
Taylor drew positive reviews from coaches and players since joining Miami’s staff last year.
“Having him in the meeting room is a blessing,” defensive end Chantz Williams said during spring football last year. “He’s a guy who’s made more plays than anybody here in the building, I feel. He gives us these tips that an old vet uses, and he’s allowing us to understand the game a whole lot. So having him around has really just been a great tool that we’ve used. And everybody goes to him, off the field, to ask him questions and stuff. He’s just always around, so it’s great to have him.”
The Hurricanes’ defensive ends were arguably the team’s strongest position group last season. Mitchell Agude, who is looking to earn an NFL roster spot this offseason, had 39 tackles with four sacks. Akheem Mesidor, in his first year with the Hurricanes after transferring from West Virginia, had 38 tackles and seven sacks. Jahfari Harvey had 31 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
The Hurricanes also saw promise from freshman Nyjalik Kelly, a Dillard High alumnus, who had 11 tackles and four sacks. …read more
Source:: The Mercury News