Miami’s Cristobal on who stepped up big-time during alumni weekend heading into spring game

With two days left of practice before the spring-game finale at 7:30 p.m. Friday, University of Miami football coach Mario Cristobal said he wanted more time, or at least wished he had more of it, to continue what has been a productive spring with new coordinators and several new position coaches — even with most of his starting defensive linemen out recuperating from injuries or offseason surgeries.

On Saturday, part of UM football’s annual “alumni weekend,’’ Cristobal told reporters that practice included “a large segment of scrimmage work.”

“A lot of energy,’’ the coach said. “Looking forward to seeing them Friday at the spring game.’’

“Some of the older players have really stepped up and done a really good job leading,’’ the coach said. “The younger players haven’t flinched. We’ve thrown a lot of young guys out there with the first and second team and they’re getting reps. If they continue down that path, all those guys, old and young, will be on the field come the fall.

“All in all, pushing through some very challenging practices, very positive progress. Still a ways to go.”

Unlike two weekends ago, when the UM offense dominated, the Hurricanes defense “came out strong’’ Saturday. Defensive tackle Jacob Lichtenstein returned recently from injury, but with projected starting tackle Leonard Taylor III and fellow veteran tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte out, as well as starting end Jahfari Harvey (with fourth-year junior lineman Akheem Mesidor recently returning and slowy integrating), the defense up front has been mostly young and inexperienced.

Saturday, however, the coach said they performed well.

“They stopped the run,’’ Cristobal said. “We all know we’ve had some guys banged up [in] front on the defensive line, but today they showed up big. Guys like Chantz Williams showed up big, Nyjalik Kelly, Rueben Bain showed up big, Jake Lichtenstein, Thomas Gore, Ahmad [Moten] had some really good moments.

“Our linebackers played at a high level,’’ he added. “They all did today.’’

Lichtenstein on defense

Lichtenstein also spoke Saturday, praising the play of defensive end early enrollee Bain, who has had a strong spring. “Special player,’’ he said. “He’s going to be incredible. He’s got great footwork, great hands, he’s violent in his moves. He’s picking it up quick.’’

Lichtenstein, a former four-star prospect who graduated from Weston Cypress Bay High, is a seventh-year senior who transferred from Southern Cal before last spring. He said coordinator Lance Guidry’s defense reminds him “of one of the defenses I ran at USC.” He said Guidry runs “an attacking defense” and “he’s got a lot of energy. He’s got that Cajun blood. We love his energy and we feed off it. Last year we were more of a fitting defensive line, just holding gaps. Now we have a lot more opportunities to make plays. It’s going to be good for us.”

Kam Kinchens

The UM coach also lauded the defensive backs for “being aggressive, getting hands on receivers.’’

“They made it difficult for the offense to get the ball out and they put them in difficult down-and-distance situations.”

One of the obvious spring standouts: safety Kamren Kinchens, who just had his “All-American’’ orange banner hung from the indoor practice facility rafters, joining historic Canes greats. “Kam Kinchens continues to excel; He’s not satisfied at all,’’ Cristobal said. “The banner got hung up two days ago and it’s like he’s performing like it was never there. That’s awesome to see.’’

On offense, the coach mentioned slot receiver Xavier Restrepo as “the most consistent performer” among receivers, and that the outside receivers underperformed the early part of Saturday’s session. He also lauded tailback Don Chaney Jr., who has missed most of the past two seasons with injuries. “He’s starting to look more and more like he’s working his way back to form,’’ Cristobal said. “Still has to cut some weight, but improving.’’

The future

When asked the position that coaches are considering to add in the future — including when the transfer portal opens April 15-30, here’s what Cristobal said:

“Add pieces everywhere, quite frankly. What we have to do, that’s what it requires. That’s always been the blueprint to success. We’ve got to build and develop to a point where you have legitimate winning and championship depth at every position. We have certainly gained a lot of ground toward that. We still have to gain more. At every position we are looking for players.”

So, who has impressed him the most?

“We still have three more practices,’’ Cristobal said. “You don’t want to give someone too much sugar today and then when we have a bad practice on Tuesday it’s your fault.

“We are getting better. We’ve certainly poured a lot in to the offensive line body types and mentality, which was a monstrously glaring issue upon arrival and through the season. It’s something that we feel that we’re gaining a lot of ground toward getting better at.

“With so many defensive lineman out for spring ball you wish you would have seen those battles because that would have been a part of our football team that if that takes the kind of step that we need it to take, that we want it to take, it significantly improves our program and our track to where we want to go.”