Former UM coach explains his new role with the Hurricanes. And personnel notes

Todd Stroud has a message for anyone concerned about his health: Don’t be. He’s fine and has no issues after recovering from a rare blood disorder several years ago and a battle with COVID-19 in December.

When UM last week announced that Stroud was shifting from defensive line coach after two seasons at UM to a role as Miami’s senior football advisor, reports in this publication and others cited his health issues. But Stroud said his health was no factor in the decision.

Coach Manny Diaz simply wanted to move Stroud to a new role as an extra set of eyes who could assist him in many areas.

“It was a university decision,” Stroud said in a phone conversation. “With Manny getting more involved in the defense and making moves, it was a way for him to put me upstairs in an administrative role. With him being more involved in the defense, there were going to be some gaps and he needed help with the [issues related to] academics, compliance and football [matters]. Some of those responsibilities will fall on my lap. It will be fun. I will do day-to-day assistance with football.”

Stroud made clear that he “would love the opportunity to coach” again. But he said he never considered leaving for a coaching job elsewhere when Diaz discussed a new role with Stroud.

“I love coaching and I love being around the kids,” he said. “In this role it will be a good opportunity to touch everyone [in the football program].”

Stroud said he did not try to talk Diaz out of it.

“Manny is decisive guy; he really wanted to do this,” Stroud said. “I’m on board to help any way I can.”

In a chat with WQAM’s Joe Rose on Monday, Diaz explained the rehiring of Jess Simpson as defensive line coach — and the new role for Stroud — this way:

“Well, Jess did a phenomenal job when he was here the first time [in 2018]. Our defensive line play, especially the way we played the run was just phenomenal that year. That was something that was lacking a year ago. So yeah, Jess is so detailed, NFL experience, a great guy to work with. Being able to have Todd Stroud back in an advisory role to me to help with what’s going on in the training room, weight room, academics, all the places the head coach gets stretched thin. With my role on defense increasing, it’s great to have a guy I have absolute trust in to help me on those matters.”

Stroud is healthy now after spending four days at the University of Miami hospital, in early December, with COVID-related pneumonia.

“I thought I had COVID after the [Nov. 14] Virginia Tech game; I had three days of symptoms and they went away and I was fine,” he said. “I came back to work [after UM paused football for two weeks] and came back to work the Sunday before [the Dec. 5] Duke game and by Monday before practice, I spiked another fever, to 101, called Manny and said something is going on with this and I better get out of there.

“By the next day I was in the hospital. My oxygen levels were not good, but I wasn’t that labored breathing. By the fourth day, I was ready to go back home. I never had a ventilator.”

He said he wasn’t scared because of “what I’ve been though.” And Stroud has been through far worse.

He was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder seven years ago while coaching at Akron, and the initial diagnosis was he had 24 to 36 months to live. But he underwent a successful stem cell transplant in 2014 and is now fully recovered — with normal life expectancy — after that procedure and three years of chemotherapy.

“I get monthly bloodwork done and all the bloodwork is normal,” he said. “I have been healthy as a horse for the past 19 months, do weighlifting and running.”

Stroud did good work with UM’s linemen, helping mold Greg Rousseau and Jaelan Phillips into projected NFL first-round picks and developing still-emerging players such as Jared Harrison-Hunte.

Stroud thinks highly of Simpson, who ended up being both his predecessor and successor as UM’s defensive line coach. Simpson coached UM defensive linemen in 2018 before spending the past two years with the Atlanta Falcons.

“Manny hired a really good defensive line coach,” Stroud said. “He’s a great man.”

THIS AND THAT

▪ Tate Martell will return to UM for the spring semester in the next week after opting out of the 2020 season, 247 Sports/InsideTheU.com reported. UM declined to confirm this.

▪ Four-star quarterback Jake Garcia is expected to be among the players who will enroll early at UM next week. Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, the elite front seven commitment in this class, also is hopeful he will be able to enroll next week.

▪ We hear N’Kosi Perry was very emotional about transferring because he’s so close with many of the players. Ultimately, it was for the best because Perry is good enough to start at quarterback somewhere at the FBS level, and that wasn’t going to happen next season with D’Eriq King returning.

▪ Former UM edge player Patrick Joyner joined former UM coach Ephraim Banda at Utah State, where Banda is now defensive coordinator.

▪ We hear wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. made an impact with a couple of UM players who were on the fence about returning and ultimately did. Harley is highly respected among players.

▪ UM chief of staff Ed Reed also has offered counsel, and one player said his impact in recruiting has been enormous. .

▪ D1 Baseball joined Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball in naming the Hurricanes’ recruiting class the best in the country.

The Hurricanes landed three top 100 recruits and five top 200 players among Baseball America’s individual player rankings, leading the nation in both categories.

Right-handed pitcher Victor Mederos is Miami’s top-rated recruit according to Baseball America, coming in at No. 59 overall. Fellow right-hander Alejandro Rosario (60) and shortstop Yohandy Morales (77) round out the trio of top 100 prospects that helped vault Miami to the top spot in the rankings.

Here’s my Monday Dolphins piece on what the Dolphins could accomplish from a salary cap and draft resources perspective if they acquire disguntled Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson.