Of the three defensive linemen Miami added in training camp, Wisconsin transfer David Gilbert has the most potential to help the Hurricanes’ pass rush improve.
But his right foot might prevent him from pitching in.
“It’s coming back along, slowly but surely,” said Gilbert, who spoke to reporters Sunday for the first time since joining the Hurricanes last week. “I’m just trying to get back to 100 percent before the season starts.”
Gilbert has injured his foot so many times he hung up his cleats four months ago. What made him think he could put them on again?
“I did say that, but the healing went well,” Gilbert said. “People have questions about that, but unless you’re the one there, have that pressure, that feeling of not playing again, there’s no feeling like that. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”
It has been a tough road for Gilbert, a Coral Springs native who played at Oakland Park-Northeast High. He posted 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in his Wisconsin career. As a junior last year, he had four sacks and three forced fumbles, earning an honorable mention All-Big Ten nod. But he retired after surgery in March to repair a ruptured and torn ligament in the front of his right foot, the same one he broke twice as a sophomore in 2011.
“It’s a lot to come back from,” he said.
When he decided to resume playing, he figured it was best to graduate early from Wisconsin, which would allow him to play a final season at another FBS program without penalty. He said some at his former program might “feel like I lied” and ditched the Badgers.
“I went through a tough time after my surgery,” he said. “I was kind of uncertain about what I was going to do without football moving forward.”
UM, which had just 13 sacks in 12 games last season, was happy to take a chance on him. Gilbert (6-feet-4, 247 pounds) said he played more than 20 snaps in Friday’s scrimmage, working as a speed-rushing defensive end.
Defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio said Gilbert has picked up the Hurricanes’ defense quickly, which will allow him to compete for playing time with other speed ends like standout freshman Al-Quadin Muhammad.
“I’m very, very pleased,” D’Onofrio said. “It’s going to really add another layer of depth and competition for us that we needed.”
No matter what his foot allows him to do on the field, Gilbert, who turns 22 in October, is happy to return to South Florida.
“Yeah, it feels pretty good to come back home,” said Gilbert, who as a freshman was a reserve defensive end and special teams player in Wisconsin’s win over Miami in the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando. “Being around my family and having a support system is priceless.”
D-line backups impressing: D'Onofrio was pleased to see graduate-student defensive tackle Justin Renfrow play more than 30 snaps in Friday's scrimmage. Renfrow is 6-6 and 310 pounds, down 20 pounds.
“He was in really good shape and finished well,” D’Onofrio said.
Renfrow, who had 18 tackles in three years at Virginia, backed up starter Curtis Porter.
D’Onofrio is also pleased with junior defensive end Ufomba Kamalu, who is working behind starter Anthony Chickillo.
“He’s a really, really strong guy, a long guy,” D’Onofrio said of Kamalu (6-5, 275), a junior college transfer. “He can run.”
Scrimmage recap: Stephen Morris and backup Ryan Williams each threw a pair of touchdown passes in Friday's scrimmage, which was closed to the media. Freshman wide receiver Stacy Coley caught both of Williams' TD passes.
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