Miami Hurricanes WR coach Ron Dugans, FSU alum, misses the Orange Bowl

Ron Dugans grew up in Tallahassee and dreamed of becoming a Seminole. He did. He had an outstanding FSU career, too, with a couple big performances against Miami.

He should dislike everything about the Hurricanes. But he coaches them. And Dugans, in his first year as UM’s wide receivers coach, said playing in the Orange Bowl was his favorite memory of the rivalry.

“You knew coming to the Orange Bowl what kind of game it would be,” said Dugans, who played for coach Bobby Bowden and offensive coordinator Mark Richt from 1995-99. “The locker room wasn’t very nice. People throwing eggs at you. I miss the OB.

“That was something every year you looked forward to. That was every kid’s dream back then, to play in the OB. That’s what sticks out to me, because I know what it means to both schools, and I know what it means to the fans. Everybody looked forward to that game. You knew you were going against the best. Everybody’s coming to play.”

Dugans’ teams went 5-0 against Miami, and were ranked between No. 1 and No. 8 every single year. He caught a 42-yard pass against the Hurricanes as a true freshman in 1995. He was FSU’s leading receiver in the 1999 game, a 31-21 win in Tallahassee.

He graduated by the time UM won in 2000, the first of a six-game streak against the Noles.

As a former player, he understands how badly the Hurricanes want to break their six-game losing skid. As a 38-year-old coach, he knows the focus the current group needs to have.

“You knew what week it was back then, because every coach was getting after everybody,” he said. “Coach Richt has always been laid-back, get after you when he needed to, if something’s not right, he would fix it. Coach let us know it was an important game, but just take one play at a time.”

This will be the first big game in Miami’s renovated home, Hard Rock Stadium. Dugans hopes it is as loud and unfriendly to the Seminoles as the Orange Bowl was.

“On game day at Hard Rock, when you come off the bus and see all those fans, it’s like, ‘Wow,'” he said. “They love it. That’s a really nice stadium. To see it packed with orange and green, and for recruits to come watch how Miami is getting better each week, it means a lot.

“We had some fun. I enjoy and I embrace this rivalry. A lot of guys paved the way for it to become a rivalry.”

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Loaded UK secondary still needs primary help

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As a young defensive backs coach at the University of Miami, Mark Stoops shocked a reporter with his bravado about his 2002 secondary.

The Hurricanes were coming off a national championship season but had lost their entire starting secondary. The group included first-round picks Phillip Buchanon, Ed Reed and Mike Rumph and has been ranked among the best secondaries in college football history.

Still, Stoops was confident his 2002 squad would have little trouble.

“I said, ‘We’ll be better,’” Stoops told The Courier-Journal in a one-on-one interview before camp. “They thought this is a young, cocky a-hole. I said, ‘No, we will be.’”

For Stoops, despite losing so much talent the equation was simple.

“The whole D-line was back,” Stoops said. “That secondary was going to be better, because I knew how talented we were going to be up front on the defensive line. The best pass defense in the world is when that quarterback is running around or is on his back.”

Stoops’ players backed up that confidence, leading the country in passing defense (119.7 yards per game) in 2002. A front seven that included five 2003 NFL Draft picks, including two first-rounders, played its part in accentuating that strength.

Now with Stoops’ Kentucky team preparing for a 2016 season in which the secondary has been anointed the strength of the defense, how the Wildcats’ front seven plays may again say much about the ultimate success of a talented group of defensive backs.

“100 percent, we’ve got have success up front,” UK defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale said. “If we can’t stop the run even with the secondary fits and we can’t get to the quarterback, it doesn’t matter how good your DBs are and vice versa. If we can’t stop people from catching the ball, it doesn’t matter how much pressure we put on the quarterback.”

Kentucky ranked 28th nationally in passing defense last season (198.1 yards per game) but a defense that ranked 97th nationally in rushing defense (196.08 yards per game) and 109th in sacks (17) rarely forced opponents into difficult passing situations.

The Wildcats relied heavily on freshman defensive backs Chris Westry, Derrick Baity, Mike Edwards and Darius West in 2015. All those players return this fall, though West has been lost to a season-ending knee injury.

Expectations for the group remain high with touted freshman cornerbacks Jordan Griffin and Davonte Robinson joining a secondary that also includes senior nickel back/safety Blake McClain, senior cornerback J.D. Harmon and junior nickel back Kendall Randolph.

“I feel like we have some superstars in the making at that position,” Stoops said at SEC Media Days in July.

“They’re currently the strength of our defense,” defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot said later that month. “Fortunately they were able to get a year under their belts so now they have a little bit of experience to go with that talent. I’m very excited to watch them play this fall.”

After a summer of praise from coaches, UK’s defensive backs are taking pride in living up to that hype.

“We said that all summer we want our secondary to be the new “DB U,” the best secondary in the SEC,” McClain said. “That starts in practice every day.”

But those same defensive backs know without help from the defensive line and linebackers their talent and depth may not reach its full potential.

UK returns just one full-time starter in the front seven. Even as the coaching staff has grown more comfortable with its projected starters at the positions, they have acknowledged depth remains a concern.

“We need them,” McClain said. “If they don’t get pressure the quarterback is going to sit there and have all day, and we don’t want that with the quarterbacks we have in the SEC.”

McClain is confident the UK front seven has put in the work during preseason camp to carry its own weight on the defense this fall. He singled out junior defensive end Alvonte Bell, sophomore defensive tackle Adrian Middleton and sophomore outside linebackers Denzil Ware, Josh Allen and Kobie Walker as defenders who have helped boost UK’s pass rush in camp.

“Our guys will get better at rushing the passer and putting some pressure on them,” Stoops said. “We find ways to create some pressure, and our secondary needs to hold up for a good bit.”

UK’s defenders have fostered a friendly competition during camp to argue which position group is better.

Ware and his fellow linebackers like to shout “LB U” at the defensive backs, who reply with their cries of “DB U.” Still, the players say they realize it will take a group effort to succeed this fall.

“We won’t get pass breakups if they don’t get pressure up front,” Randolph said. “If we don’t defend in the back end then everybody is in trouble.

“We all play equal roles on the defense, so just as we hold ourselves accountable within our position groups we do the same with other position groups while respecting that we know they have their certain stuff that they do by themselves and we have our stuff that we do by ourselves. At the end of the day we’re all still one defense. We have to be in tune with each other.”

Aquinas' Grimes, PB Gardens' Cowan named Preseason All-Americans

St. Thomas Aquinas receiver Trevon Grimes and Palm Beach Gardens linebacker VanDarius Cowan earned national honors this week as both were named to MaxPreps' Preseason All-American Team.

Grimes was included in the large schools offensive category announced Tuesday and Cowan on large schools defense on Thursday. Each was one of 21 prospects nationally to make their respective teams.

"It's a true honor," Grimes said. "My hours of hard work and dedication are paying off and I'm looking forward to a great senior season."

Grimes (6-foot-4, 202 pounds), ranked the No. 3 senior nationally by Rivals, is set to announce his commitment on Aug. 24. In addition to his longtime leader, Ohio State, Grimes also lists Miami, Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Alabama as in the running.

Cowan has been firmly committed to Bama since April.

Flowers charity event

Former Atlantic standout and current San Diego Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers will host a charity event at his alma mater next week to benefit local children in need.

The Delray Beach native's inaugural "Back to School Bash," set for Weds., July 20 at Atlantic Community High School, will feature live music, a school supply giveaway and an essay contest for 250 children. The event is sold out and not open to the public.

Flowers starred as a defensive back at Atlantic and then played at Virginia Tech. Following his collegiate career, he was selected in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft by Kansas City. Flowers spent six years with the Chiefs, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2013.

Flowers signed a one-year contract with San Diego in 2014 and re-signed with the team for a four-year, $36 million deal.

More guest coaches at UM camp

University of Miami coach Mark Richt announced a series of guest coaches that will be present for his inaugural "Paradise" camp on his Twitter account this week.

Many come from the Hurricanes' 2001 national championship team, including tight end Jeremy Shockey, DB Antrel Rolle, CB Phillip Buchanon and offensive lineman Brett Romberg. Bennie Blades, an All-American on UM's 1987 title team, also tweeted he would attend.

Last week, the Sun Sentinel reported NFL Hall-of-Famer Michael Irvin and Baltimore Ravens great Ray Lewis, both 'Canes alums, would be present for portions of the camp, which runs Friday and Saturday.

According to CanesInSight.com, area seniors expected on Saturday include Deerfield Beach WR Jerry Jeudy, St. Thomas Aquinas WR Mike Harley and safety Brian Edwards, Dillard DL Jonathan Ford, American Heritage CB Marco Wilson, Cardinal Gibbons CB Randall Haynie and Palm Beach Gardens DB Amari Carter.

More camps on tap at FAU

Charlie Partridge is holding Individual Camps for high school football players on Monday and Tuesday at the Tom Axley Athletic Center. The Florida Atlantic coach previously hosted a three-day team camp in mid-June.

Additionally, on Weds., July 27, Partridge and his Owls staff will host a specialists camp with Jamie Kohl, focusing on kicking, punting and snapping drills.

Jeudy excels at The Opening

All-County wideout Jerry Jeudy, a senior at Deerfield, was one of six national prospects named to The Opening Finals 7-on-7 first-team offense.

The 6-1, 177-pound four-star recruit is rated the fourth-best receiver in the nation, according to ESPN. Alabama is currently leads the pack — Jeudy has 32 colleges offers — in his recruitment.

Dorvil transfers to STA

Senior Eldine Dorvil announced his transfer from Boyd Anderson to St. Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday.

Dorvil (6-0, 155) enters the season as a two-star CB recruit, according to Scout. He lists offers from Idaho, UCF, Eastern Michigan, Akron and Bowling Green.

Correspondent Pat Lammer contributed to this report.

EX-OAKLAND RAIDER PHILLIP BUCHANON CREATES BOARD GAME TO ENCOURAGE FINANCIAL LITERACY

Ex-Oakland Raider Phillip Buchanon is on a mission to teach the youth of today an important lesson in financial literacy.

Having created a new board game called ‘New Money: Staying Rich,’ Buchanon’s interactive game is inspired by his book of the same title.

As one who fell victim to the “burning pocket” phenomenon that comes with obtaining large amounts of money and subsequently blowing it all, Buchanon thinks it’s pertinent that budding entrepreneurs and businessmen know how to save and wisely invest their dollars.

Dubbed the ‘Modern Monopoly,’ the game will take players through different scenarios in life that may have a direct or indirect impact on your finances. Everything from family emergencies to unexpected to pregnancies will be a scenario in the game, with the point being to always keep a financial safety net, as you never know what may come up in life.

This isn’t the first board game Buchanon has created—his past game being the fun spin on ‘Twister’ called ‘Twerkin-It,’ a twerk-focused board game allowing players to spice up their parties.

For more on Buchanon’s latest venture, check out his site here.

German wide receiver among Vikings' final-day picks

MINNEAPOLIS – Moritz Boehringer five years ago became a Vikings fan by watching Adrian Peterson videos in his native Germany. Now, the two are teammates.

Minnesota took the wide receiver in the sixth round Saturday with the No. 180 overall pick on the final day of three-day NFL draft. He became the first foreign player drafted after not having played at a North American college.

“It’s a dream come true,’’ said Boehringer, 22. “I’m happy that the Vikings picked me.’’

The pick was not a surprise. Boehringer and his agent, Kyle Strongin, had said before the draft the Vikings were showing great interest, and Boehringer had said he would sign with them as a free agent if not drafted.

The 6-foot-4, 229-pound Boehringer is raw. He played three years in Germany for a club team before last year catching 70 passes for 1,461 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Schwabish Hall Unicorns in the German Football League.

“A lot of talent and a big receiver,’’ Boehringer said of what he brings. “(The Vikings) need a big target, and I think I can be the big target that they need.”

It was a busy day for the Vikings. They started the day with eight picks and finished with eight selections although they made trades with Miami and Philadelphia to move around the draft board.

Minnesota also selected Western Michigan offensive lineman Willie Beavers in the fourth round, Missouri linebacker Kentrell Brothers in the fifth, Texas-San Antonio tight end David Morgan in the sixth, Vanderbilt defensive tackle Stephen Weatherly in the seventh and Clemson safety Jayron Kearse also in the seventh.

The Vikings project Beavers as a guard and Brothers as a middle linebacker; they have been positions of need. Minnesota also needed a safety and got one in Kearse, whose uncle is former NFL defensive end Javon Kearse and cousin is former NFL cornerback Phillip Buchanon.

The biggest buzz by far came when Boehringer was selected. The native of Aalen, Germany, was generally unknown until he showed great athleticism at the Florida Atlantic pro day on March 31.

Boehringer, who had been a left wing in soccer, knew nothing about football until he went on YouTube in 2011 and clicked on some videos that had been recommended. He immediately became a Vikings fan and took up the sport, and soon he’ll get to meet Peterson.

“I heard he has a very strong handshake,’’ Boehringer said with a laugh. “I will be prepared for that.’’

General manager Rick Spielman said a “source” tipped the Vikings off about Boehringer in February shortly after the scouting combine. They then started their research by watching videos of him on YouTube.

“We drafted him in the sixth round because of his ability and his upside,’’ Spielman said. “He has unique size, unique athletic skills.’’

Boehringer came to Minnesota this month to visit with the Vikings. He also was in the Twin Cities last September on vacation and watched the University of Minnesota play Texas Christian.

Later on that trip, Boehringer watched the New York Giants play at Dallas. He hardly realized then he would be in the NFL a year later.

“It was really a fun story,’’ Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said on the NFL Network. “That’s kind of what the draft is all about, making dreams come true. ... He’s a really smart kid. He understands English very well. He understands football. Obviously, he has a lot of work to do, but it’s still fun.’’

Boehringer’s all-time favorite wide receiver is Randy Moss, who played for the Vikings from 1998-2004. The 6-4 Moss was a big target, and Boehringer hopes to develop into Minnesota’s latest one.

Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Prospects: Who is SS Jayron Kearse?

Could strong safety Jayron Kearse be one of the best values of the 2016 NFL draft?

The Steelers secondary was one of the most inconsistent units on the field this past season. Their attempt to address the secondary through the 2015 draft backfired when second-round draft pick Senquez Golson, a cornerback, was sidelined with an injury before the season even began. The Steelers will need to add depth to the defensive backs through the draft and free agency.

Strong safety Jayron Kearse of Clemson could be an interesting prospect for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kearse is the tallest strong safety draft prospect, standing 6-feet 4-inches and weighing 220-pounds. In other words, he is a towering, sturdy athlete who can stand up to the biggest NFL wide receivers and tight ends. The cousin of NFL CB Phillip Buchanon and nephew of former Tennessee Titan pass rusher Jevon "The Freak" Kearse, Jayron has football in his blood.

Kearse proved he can compete against the most elite receivers in college football during his time with the Clemson Tigers. He has impressed scouts with his speed, ball-skills, aggression, and intuition. Kearse's biggest downside could actually work to his advantage: He is relatively raw. Though he has tremendous speed for a player of his size, he is sometimes awkward and has trouble adjusting on the fly.

Nonetheless, his highlights are impressive.

Kearse is projected to be a fourth round pick. Jeremy Cash of Duke, Vonn Bell of Ohio State, Karl Joseph of West Virginia, and Miles Killebrew of Southern Utah could all find NFL homes before Kearse. In other words, Kearse could be a great value.

Bengals' Marvin Lewis attends Clemson Tigers Pro Day

Among the notable guys working out was Mackensie Alexander, who's regarded as one of this draft class's top corners.

As the NFL draft inches closer, the Pro Day circuit continued Thursday with the Clemson Tigers putting their top pro talent on display.

Four NFL head coaches were in attendance for the workout, including the Bills' Rex Ryan, Colts' Chuck Pagano, Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Bengals' Marvin Lewis. It makes sense Lewis was in attendance as the Tigers have three guys who could be in contention for the 24th-overall pick. And, the Steelers have the 25th pick, giving reason to Tomlin being there, too.

The most likely player to be selected near the 24th pick is cornerback Mackensie Alexander, a projected first-round pick in most mock drafts, but someone expected to go toward the end of Round 1. He drew attention at the Combine when he proclaimed himself to be "the best corner in this draft class." He said that in light of not participating in on-field workouts at the Combine because of a hamstring injury suffered in the national championship loss to Alabama.

By the time his Pro Day came, Alexander was healthy enough to put up some good numbers.  He ran between 4.40 and 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Thursday, per NFL Media reporter Rand Getlin. That would have placed him in the top 10 at his position at the combine.

He also had an impressive vertical jump of 37.5 inches, which would have had him in a tie for seventh place among CBs at the combine. CBS adds that Alexander met Wednesday night with the Steelers and Jets and had dinner with the Saints. The Bengals met with Alexander back at the Scouting Combine.

If the Bengals decide to add a pass-rusher, they may be in a quandary picking between Clemson's dynamic duo at defensive end in Kevin Dodd and Shaq Lawson. Both of those guys are expected to go in Round 1, and it's possible they're both on the board for Cincinnati.

Dodd went from situational pass-rusher before 2015 to becoming one of the most dominant ends in football, registering 62 tackles, 12 sacks, 23.5 tackles for loss (second in the nation) and 46 QB pressures. But Lawson has been a standout player ever since first arriving at Clemson. His 25.5 tackles for loss last season led the nation to go with 12.5 sacks and 86 tackles.

Either guy would be a nice get at defensive end/strongside backer for the Bengals if they choose to go this route. Depending on what mock draft you've read, either guy could go as high as the top 10 or fall to or past the Bengals at 24.

After those three, there's a big drop off until the next draft prospect Clemson has, at least if you go off CBS Sports' rankings. T.J. Green and Jayron Kearse are two quality safeties the Bengals could look at after Round 3. That is, unless Reggie Nelson ends up re-signing with the Bengals.

Kearse, a cousin of former NFL defensive back Phillip Buchanon and nephew of former Titans pass rusher Jevon Kearse, finished this past season with 62 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and six passes defended before turning pro as a junior.

Green finished second on the team with 95 tackles, 5.5 for loss, broke up three passes and forced two fumbles during his final season as a junior. Both guys are raw athletic freaks who need a lot of work to become impact players in the NFL.

One other Tiger the Bengals may be interested in is wide receiver Charone Peake. A big 6-2, 209-pound pass-catcher, Peake had 50 receptions for 716 yards and five touchdowns this past season. For his career, he had 99 catches for 1,172 yards and 10 scores.

That may not seem like much, but his career was spent in the shadow of guys like Sammy Watkins, Martavis Bryant and current Tigers stars Mike Williams and Artavis Scott, both of whom project as quality NFL prospects. With the Bengals in need of multiple receivers in this year's draft, look for Peake to be considered on Day 3.

For more on Clemson's Pro Day, check out the highlights and a recap at Tiger.net.