If there was a weak area the last couple of years in Miami’s offense, it was up front.

Now it’s new OL coach Alex Mirabal’s job to turn the position into a strength. He wants to mold UM into a punishing group that makes opposing defenses simply want to quit, and he works hand in hand with Mario Cristobal during practices working hands-on with the linemen.

Flash back to a year ago, and this is a unit that was nothing special. The backs averaged 3.7 yards per carry and there were 30 sacks allowed (by comparison opponents averaged 3.9 yards and Miami had 33 sacks).

There also are a couple of main starters that are gone: RT Jarrid Williams (team best 84.0 grade run blocking per Pro Football Focus) and OG Navaughn Donaldson.

No returning lineman with more than 30 reps of experience graded out higher than 64.1 percent as a run blocker (that was Zion Nelson). Keep in mind that a 70 percent grade or higher is really what you want.

The pass blocking was good last year, though, with DJ Scaife at 88.0 percent, Nelson at 85.9 and Ousman Traore at 80.0.

Today’s initial 11 on 11 depth chart? It looked like this (L to R):

First team - Nelson, Traore, Jakai Clark, Justice Oluwaseun, Scaife.

Second team - Mike McLaughlin, Cleveland Reed, Laurence Seymore, Logan Sagapolu (Oregon transfer), Chris Washington.

That can and will change when OG Jalen Rivers and OT John Campbell return in the summer.

“Our job is to play the best five guys, how we’re going to get the best five guys on the field,” Mirabal said.

Mirabal spoke about several of his linemen:

* Of Scaife at RT, Mirabal said, “He’s a guy who has been awesome since he’s been out here. He’s a tremendous listener. You can tell DJ something in the classroom and immediately he’ll put that into action on the field. To me, that’s a gift. … He’s proving he can play right tackle at a high level. We’re going to keep him for a while.

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by him. … “Once Campbell comes back and Rivers comes back (we’ll see if there’s any shakeup).”

* At center it’s Clark, Seymore and Ryan Rodriguez taking the most reps with Traore also working in there.

“In my opinion I think Jakai can be one of the upper echelon centers in the ACC,” Mirabal said. “That’s my opinion on it. It’s my job to keep helping him get better. … I think he’s a heck of a football player. It’s hard to find that guy, a center.

“He’s got the ability to be special.”

* Asked about Nelson, Mirabal said, “He looks like a Greek god the way he’s built. He’s built his body up, came in at a lighter weight. Has unbelievable feet. To me as an offensive tackle, everyone wants guys 6-6, 6-7, but he has feet. He’s been blessed with that.

“He’s quiet, but he’s a hard worker.”

Mirabal also says in the off-season he cross trains his players, with guys like Nelson working at left and right tackle to be versatile.

Overall?

Stay tuned as this is a key area Miami needs to improve. With a strong offensive line and the rest of the talent on this offense, the sky would be the limit for Josh Gattis’ attack.