Sports: Rolle growing into a force in 'Canes secondary

Rolle growing into a force in 'Canes secondary

Sophomore Antrel Rolle is doing everything he can to make sure he isn't a weak link for UM.

By MICHAEL SNYDER

Sophomore Antrel Rolle is doing everything he can to make sure he isn't a weak link for UM.

Antrel Rolle didn't want to be the weak link in Miami's secondary, to be the one to give up the key touchdown, to be the reason the national championship trophy left Coral Gables.

Replacing cornerback Phillip Buchanon, who left after his junior season and was a first-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders, may have appeared daunting.

But as it turned out, Rolle had nothing to worry about. Neither did the Hurricanes.

When No.1 Miami (10-0, 5-0 Big East) goes for its 33rd straight win today at the Carrier Dome against Syracuse (4-7, 2-4), the 6-foot-1, 189-pound sophomore again will be prowling the field, looking for the big play, trying to help keep the Hurricanes on course for a Fiesta Bowl showdown Jan. 3 with Ohio State.

"He played a lot last year and now he's a starter -- I know it's special for him," coach Larry Coker said. "We put a lot on Antrel. He does a great job on special teams. He does an outstanding job in the secondary."

It's exactly what Rolle expected of himself when he came to Miami.

Rolle had been one of the top recruits in Florida in 2001, coming out of South Dade High School. He was a Parade All-American, and was high on many schools' wish lists. Rolle's first choice -- and only one -- was UM. Then Butch Davis moved to the NFL and Rolle was confused and conflicted.

Armelia and Alexander Rolle told their son they would support his decision. When Coker was named coach, Rolle decided to stick with what he felt in his gut. "If he hadn't of gotten the job, I most likely would have been at Florida," Rolle said recently.

Last year, Rolle saw significant action on special teams and in the nickel and dime coverage packages -- one of four true freshmen who played for the 'Canes. His 4.4 speed in the 40 and exceptional closing ability proved too much to keep on the sideline, even with a deep, veteran team. But when Buchanon left early, Rolle's role expanded.

Rolle says Buchanon helped make him the player he is today.

"Last year, I was always confused a lot about a lot of things," Rolle said. "When I would ask, 'What do you do here?' (Buchanon) would always sit me down. He said, 'Don't ask the coaches, always ask me. I'll tell you what's right and what's wrong and how to do this and how to do that.' He told me when he was leaving (not to worry). 'This is going to be your job, you can do this, you can handle it, but never get complacent.' "

Complacency doesn't appear to be in Rolle's vocabulary. Linebacker Howard Clark said he knew Rolle would be special during two-a-days, when a starting job wasn't a certainty. "I saw real good qualities in him," Clark said. "(He's) real athletic, fast and he'll come up and hit too. Some DBs are scared a little bit to come up and hit. Not him. And Antrel has good feet and real good awareness."

Rolle has 47 tackles, one sack, an interception and three fumble recoveries. But there have been downs as well as ups. Rolle admits he'll have a good series, followed by a mediocre or bad one. Even play to play.

Nov. 21 against Pittsburgh Rolle had a great play on special teams, getting downfield to down a punt at the 1. Two plays later he gave up a long pass to standout receiver Larry Fitzgerald to give Pitt breathing room.

"I know I can do a lot better," Rolle said. "I've been close and just missed. I didn't time them. I could have had four or five interceptions by now. I have a lot of room for improvement."

Talk like that brings smiles to the faces of his coaches, who realize that, in football terms, Rolle is quite young at 19 and still is learning and growing on the job.

"We can move him inside in the nickel and dime. He could even play safety. He's just very versatile," said secondary coach Mark Stoops. "He's getting better and better each week. He's a physical guy, he's a playmaker. He's relentless on the field."

He'd also like to return punts like Buchanon did, but Coker said he's too valuable to risk in that role.