Miami Hurricanes Offensive Line Stronger and Sounder in 2022
Offensive linemen are tasked with not only impeding but overpowering some of the world’s most athletic 300-pound human beings. It’s a position that requires disciplined technique, will power, and seemingly superhuman strength.
That’s why the Miami Hurricanes have been all but living in the training facility, undergoing a grueling strength and conditioning program in preparation for this 2022 season.
When asked what his biggest improvement was this offseason, fifth-year senior DJ Scaife replied “My strength. My strength improved a lot. Everybody got stronger.”
Scaife may see time at both guard and tackle this year. He’s played both in the past and the versatile blocker possesses the skill to play either at a high level. Scaife’s also reportedly added 30 pounds to his bench press max, just one area that Hurricanes strength coach Aaron Feld is working with the team to improve.
Transfer lineman Logan Sagapolu, who was at Oregon with Feld last year and has gone viral for some of his heavy-lifting feats, says it’s more than just putting more plates on the bar.
“Coach Feld has his ways, I love his workouts…They’re definitely intense.” He added that the workouts are “Way different than high school…You focus on the little things, the speed of the bar, the technique with the bar.”
The ‘little things’, like form and understanding technique, will be important for Sagapolu to focus on as he makes his transition to Miami. He also says he’s gotten more athletic.
“[The biggest thing for me was] my weight. I came here pretty heavy; I’ve done a lot of trimming down,” he said.
Combining Sagapolu’s sheer power with a nimbler frame could make him a guy that sees time in the rotation sooner rather than later.
When Mario Cristobal left Oregon to take the head coaching job at Miami, he brought Feld and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal with him. Both coaches have already played a pivotal role in shaping this unit for the upcoming fall.
“Coach Mirabal has been big on cross training,” said guard/tackle Justice Oluwaseun,.“Making us play any and every position, all of us." Oluwaseun, a sixth-year senior who spent four seasons at UNLV, is one of the most athletic offensive linemen on the roster. He’s in the best shape of his career going into his second season with the Canes and will be a key player in the rotation up front.
“It’s a different technique than what we’ve learned in the past…I feel like we’re all closer together, I came in kinda late and other guys were leaving,” Oluwaseun continued. “It’s definitely a more tight-knit unit.”
Guard/Tackle DJ Scaife at Miami Hurricanes Media Day 2022.
“Coach Mirabal’s a great teacher. He’s tweaked a lot of our techniques and improved pretty much everybody’s technique from the day he’s gotten here” said center Jakai Clark. “Every coach says how you do anything is how you do everything. It has to be at a professional level” says the fourth-year junior.
Even if it’s “putting your shopping cart away at the grocery store.”
Clark’s been named to the Rimington Trophy watchlist, the award for the nation’s best center, and should be one of the best snappers in the conference this fall.
Several of the Canes linemen, such as Preseason All-ACC tackle Zion Nelson, are receiving preseason accolades and notoriety as the first game approaches.
2022 will be the most highly-anticipated season to date for this veteran unit and the college football world will be watching to see how this talented group performs.
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